Unpredictable Fate
by NewYear's Tragedy
Summary: Two unlikely people meet on a plane back to Texas. Naruto Uzumaki an off duty soldier, with a horrible past finds himself face to face with Sakura Haruno, a girl with a seemingly perfect life. Will fate bring them together or draw them apart? Currently being edited - 01/06/13
1. Unknown Enemy

**Unpredictable Fate.**

**AN: This story was written for a good friend of mine, MissUndescribablexx. Thank you for supporting this story in its making.**

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><p><strong>Unpredictable Fate<strong>

**Chapter One: Unknown Enemy**

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><p>It was midnight. Well, close enough to midnight. The stars were out shinning their ominous light on the group of men below. Like statues of stone, they stood rigid. Covered head to toe with mud, they were a sight to behold. The mud was fresh however. They had been standing in the same spot for only a minute before they stood up and began to wade through the murky swamp. You could not see the bottom of the swamp. Hell, you couldn't see two feet in front of you. A man cursed silently to himself for even being in this situation. He had short blonde hair that stuck out of places under his helmet. Yet it looked yellow in the moonlight. His eyes were unnaturally bright blue, but were darkened. As if those eyes had seen to much. Like the rest of his body, his face was caked in mud and that gave him the appearance that he was many years older than he really was. He continued to follow the rest of the men, wading through the water that reached above his waist. That soaked him to the bone. He shuddered slightly, as the water rose another inch when he stepped in a hole, his combat boot sinking into the murky gunk of the river floor. He put his gun over his head and cursed himself again as the water reached his neck.<p>

"Shit." A man behind Naruto mumbled.

Naruto laughed quietly, "Stepped in a hole Shikamaru?"

He didn't answer. He only spit water out of his mouth and glared at the back of Naruto's head.

Not long after, they walked up and out of the murky water to dry land. Yet it wasn't much of a comfort. He was soaked to the bone and freezing his ass off. A soldier in the front crouched down and turned around to stare at the men behind him.

"All clear, guys. This will be our quick rest stop for the night. Get some quick shuteye. We are moving out at 1300." He told them, sitting down, placing his weapon between his knees.

Naruto and Shikamaru made their way to sit closer to the dry land. Not too far from the group to get left behind, but not close enough to sit in mud. Eventually, they ended up sitting back to back, their assault rifles posed between their knees. A gentle wind blew, making the men shake even more from the cold. The blonde soldier watched as his fellow comrades eyed the area around them as if expecting something to jump out. They eventually relaxed and allowed their eyelids to droop as sleep would soon overtake them. A sigh left Naruto's lips as his eyes closed for the briefest of seconds.

"So your being shipped back home tomorrow?" Naruto asked the man behind him, knowing the answer already.

"Yea." He said, his voice sounding off.

Naruto's eyebrows pulled together. Since they were back to back, he couldn't decipher the emotion between his words.

"I'm still staying." Naruto continued.

"I know." Shikamaru told him. "I got to find a replacement to watch your sorry ass while I'm gone."

Naruto chuckled lightly, "I'm not that hopeless."

"Really?" Shikamaru's eyebrow rose up. "I can still remember that day where we were under fire and you ran back into the crossfire so you could get that letter Kiba dropped."

"It wasn't the bad. Besides it was from his family back home." Naruto defending himself.

"It wasn't that bad?" Shikamaru turned to face him, "Dude! They were about to call an air force strike on that very location."

Naruto lips pulled out into a wide grin, "I got out didn't I?"

"With my help of course." He added.

"I was fine by myself." Naruto told him.

Shikamaru rolled his eyes, "Whatever."

They stayed quiet and leaned back onto each other again for support. Besides the leader of the unit, they were the only ones awake. It was quiet, a peaceful silence. This silence was good. It was not the eerie silence before a storm nor the silence before a fire fight. It was a silence that promised nothing would interrupt it, well...for the time being. It had been only about thirty minutes when the commander started to move around. The commander was smoking a cigarette as he eyed the sleeping forms of soldiers. He placed the tip on the ground causing the tobacco to burn out.

"Alright, men." He called out, picking up his assault rifle. "It's time to move out."  
>The men around Naruto and Shikamaru began to stir. Shikamaru sighed pushing his body up and off the ground.<p>

"Dammit Naruto. Your blabbering took all my sleep away." Shikamaru sighed rolling his head around.

"Like you could sleep." Naruto countered, standing up beside him.

"Yea, yea." He nodded and walked to stand behind the commander.

Naruto followed, slinging his rifle in front of him behind as so did the other men. Their eyes were blood shot and covered in dry mud. The group moved out walking slowly through the brush. Eyes looking around, alert. Muscles tense for any sign of movement. And their ears straining for any sound. A man standing in front of the group held his hand up, telling the group to stop. They all crouched down and took defensive positions. The night was still quiet. It reminded Naruto that today was in fact Christmas Eve. Families getting ready for Christmas as children ran to bed excited. He smiled slightly at the thought, but it was soon replaced with a frown. He had no family. They died long, long ago. In fact, it was for that reason he joined the military. Who would miss an unloved soldier?

Everyone listened for the sound of crunching leaves. But all they heard was the soft whistle of the wind. Silence. The wrong kind of silence. It all happened quickly. A shot rang out and the lead man fell over. The men's training kicked in as they searched for the threat. Gun fire erupted everywhere at once. It was so fast; Naruto barely had time to register the bullet impacting his left shoulder. The smell of metallic blood around in the air as the blonde headed man fell over backwards from the force of it into the swamp water. His body slid down the mud until his shoulder was in the water. His weapon was gone, thrown from his hands probably. Naruto clutched his shoulder in an attempt to stop the bleeding. His wounded arm felt around for his combat knife that was strapped to his leg, but his fingers were met with empty air. Someone jumped on top of him, shielding his body from the ongoing fire. Their presence soon disappeared as he heard a splash behind him. His vision began to blur and he moaned outwardly in pain. Footsteps approached him and the horrible sound of a gun cocking. He felt again for his knife but it was useless. Another loud shot rang into the night, this one hurting his ears. It sounded close, like someone was shot right next to him. His head hurt, like an headache at first but it worsened. It spread the throbbing taking him whole. Reality around him was fading and becoming unrealistic. Blurs of colors danced across his vision as images flashed in his head. He saw men running around and shouting at one another before the blackness of the night, swallowed him whole. In his last seconds of conscious, he could feel something pulling him.

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><p>He woke up surrounded by white. The sound of a quiet beeping and the smell of chemicals reached his nose. He was far too comfortable to be at the swamp still. What word could he use to describe it? Right. Sterile. Looking down he noticed, he was in a bed. A hospital bed to be exact. His right arm was hooked up to an IV, dripping a clear fluid into his bloodstream. He sighed in pain. The numbness and mix of pain in his left shoulder was clearly annoying him. He struggled to figure out exactly what happened before he lost conscious. Nothing came to mind and Naruto breathed out in annoyance. Great, his memory was shoot to shit too. The door to his room creaked open, signaling someone's approach. Not soon after, a man in an officer's uniform approached him and he quickly tried to rise without trying not to move his left arm.<p>

"At ease." The officer told him, with a hint of amusement. "Corporal Uzumaki, you were shot in the arm late in night two days ago. We were able to recover you. No life-threatening problems with you left arm. You were shot in the shoulder, right above the bone. You will still have full use and control of that arm; however it will be weaker than your right arm. You also had a minor concussion from your head hitting the bank of the river. You were lucky." He pulled a piece a paper and handed it to me. "You are scheduled to leave tomorrow morning to Washington on military flight; from there back to your home in Texas by a civilian flight. It's not a direct flight but it will do. You've been relieved of active duty, Corporal. It should go in as an honorable or medical discharge." He nodded and walked away.

Naruto was undecided on his emotions, for he had nothing to go back to. Just his quiet little home in Texas. He felt lost. The military was all he had. Just his brothers and comrades in his unit. The door closed as the officer left his room. And just like that, his days in the military were over.

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><p>He waited patiently along with other soldiers as they boarded the giant military aircraft. They were all dressed in their formal uniform: a navy blue buttoned up jacket, along with blue slacks that had a single red line running down the sides, and to top it all off his white cap. Naruto sat down facing other Marines. He removed his cap and ran his fingers through his hair, sighing. Shikamaru sat down next to him, putting his bag between his legs. The cargo door began to close, slowly. And not long after, the plane was in the air. As soon as the plane hit the correct altitude, the men began to talk quietly among themselves. Their conversations mostly were of going back home with their families finally. Or in some cases their girlfriend or family pet. Trying not let their conversations sink in, Naruto turned to glance at the man sitting next to him. Shikamaru had grown so much in a year's period. His jaw was much more angular and his complexion was much darker. Naruto smiled slightly to himself, this man made his life bearable. He was really going to miss him.<p>

"Excited to see your girl?" Naruto asked noticing his tense shoulders.

His lips pulled back in a smile, "Like you wouldn't believe."

"What happened anyway?" Naruto asked. "One minute it was silent and the next I was down." Naruto told him, remembering that night.

"You were shot. I moved to cover you. The threat was neutralized soon after you were shot. We called in an Air Medic chopper to pick you up." He told Naruto.

"Damn." Naruto sighed.

"What?" The Shikamaru asked, laughing.

"You saved my ass again."

"Oh." He said, laughing.

"Anyway, I thought you were leaving yesterday." Naruto asked.

"Well... I decided to wait for you. I mean what's one more day?" He said. "I got Temari to stay at a hotel so it all worked out."

Naruto chuckled lightly and leaned back into the seat. He rocked back forward and brought his arms to rest on his knees.

"You keep touch with me, you hear?" The blonde told him, his tone joking.

"Of course I will. After all you're going to be my best man." He said smiling.

"You're proposing?" Naruto asked stunned.

"Yea. I am as soon as I get her back in my arms." He said, putting his arms behind his head leaning back.

"Good to hear. Good to hear." Naruto trailed off, ending the conversation.

Don't get him wrong. He cared about his best friend, but he'd rather not spend the whole flight hearing someone talk about their happy and perfect life. And have that awkward silence when he had no happy experience to add to it. The rest of the flight was spent trying to ignore everyone's conversations as Naruto's eyes drifted shut and he fell into a deep sleep.

Used to his training, Naruto was a light sleeper and woke as soon as he felt someone nudge him. The military flight was drawing to a close as the plane dropped altitude and began to circle the landing strip. It would take a little while longer. After all this was a big plane. Everyone leaned back into their seats and prepared for the landing. Some of the soldiers shaking with excitement and others indifferent. Naruto sighed, closing his eyes, and leaned back as the plane descended. There was a slight jolt are the wheels made contact with the cement of the runway.

_"Alright boys. Welcome to Washington."_ The pilot said over the intercom.

There was some loud cheering and claps on the back of friends as the plane slowed down to a slow speed. We were apparently landed on a military base, so a huge crowd was waiting for the plane to pull up. Naruto knowing he would feel terrible when he got off this plane. He hated crowds of people finding their sons, husbands who have been gone a long time. Sadly, soon enough the plane was taxing and the cargo door was opening.

"Welcome home." One of the plane crew shouted. "The left side will unbuckle and leave first, while the right goes after. Merry late Christmas!" He told everyone.  
>More cheering from the soldiers as Naruto unbuckled his harness, grabbed his bag, and followed the rest of the uniformed men off the aircraft. He turned to Shikamaru and smiled a smile that didn't reach his eyes.<p>

"Remember to call me every now and then." He reminded Shikamaru.

Shikamaru nodded quickly his eyes already scanning, looking for his girlfriend. The crowd awaiting the men began to cheer and scream loudly and call out the names of their loved ones as the soldier's boots touched the cement. Fathers were hugging their daughters. Wives and husbands were kissing. Young men were hugging their parents. He saw Shikamaru run into the arms of his girlfriend, Temari. Naruto turned to avoid walking through the crowd. He pulled his cap back on, up and over his eyes.

"Daddy!" Shouted a little girl, with blonde curls.

She ran up and wrapped her arms around Naruto's legs. Naruto looked down at her, a shocked expression covering his face.

"No, honey!" A young women yelled, running up to pick the girl up. "Daddy's over there." She said pointing to an older blonde head man, waiting with his arms open as he knelt on the ground not too far away.

She whispered a quick 'sorry' to me before running after her daughter and kissing the man full blown on the mouth. It was then Naruto had to look away and pull the cap down as far as it would go. Every time he came back, it was harder and harder to compose himself.

Leaving the family reunions far behind Naruto walked off the military base. Since the group wasn't the only soldiers be shipped back home, this once quiet base was swarming with activity. He waved his hand and called for a taxi. He had to catch his flight to Texas. A yellow cab pulled up as Naruto opened the door and got into the backseat.

"Where to?" A rough voice asked from the Driver's seat.

"Washington Airport." Naruto told him.

He nodded and pulled out onto the highway. It was a silent ride to the airport, but he didn't care. The cab pulled into the road leading in the airport.

"What airline are you using?" He asked him.

"Southwest." Naruto replied as they drove past Jet Blue and some other plane companies. The cab pulled to a stop and Naruto paid his fare to the cab driver and got out of the car. He strolled into the airport and waited in the line for baggage check. He tried to ignore the stares he was getting. Some filled with pity, others with respect, but some with hatred. Damn humanist. They weren't all for the war so they took their hatred out on the soldiers who had to participate in it. He removed the metals off his uniform and put them in the bin. Collecting his things, he looked down at his flight ticket:

_Southwest Airlines_

_Flight 03281 to Houston, TX_

_Gate 11. B Passenger, Seat 44._

_Departure time: 7:30 P.M._

_Estimated Arrival time: 11:30 P.M._

He put the tickets back in his pocket and walked down past the gates. Checking his watch, he glanced at the time, seven o'clock. They wouldn't start boarding until fifteen minutes before the flight was scheduled to leave. He noticed a coffee cafe on the way to Gate 7 so he turned and walked in. The cafe was near empty so he was the first in line. Only an old man lingered, sitting in a booth.

"What can I get you?" Asked the man behind the counter.

"Uh.. Medium mocha cappuccino." Naruto told him, pulling out his wallet.

"Alright, that will be 3.16." He told Naruto.

Naruto handed him a five as the man handed him his coffee, "Keep the change."  
>He nodded as Naruto walked out of the cafe. The A Passengers had started to board the plane. Naruto pulled out his ticket and sipped his mocha while waiting for his section to be called.<p>

"B Passengers are now boarding." The women said.

The line moved slowly until it was Naruto's turn. He handed the lady his ticket and she scanned it and handed back to him.

"Have a nice flight, sir." She said smiling at him and fluttering her eye lashes.

He tried to hold back his grimace at the sight of her. Instead he nodded and walked through the door onto the plane. He glanced at the numbers above the seats as he walked down the aisle: _41,42,43...44. Here it is._ He opened the baggage apartment above his seat and put his huge bag in. Looking back down he noticed he had the most outside seat by the aisle. There were three seats in a row. And they were currently empty. Naruto mentally rolled his eyes knowing he would have to get up to let them in. He sat down and waited. An older man soon approached him.

"Hello." The older man said, smiling warmly, "I'm in seat 46 by the window."

Naruto nodded and let him through before sitting back down again.

"A Marine, huh?" The man said looking at Naruto, his eyes traveling up and down taking in my uniform.

"Yes, sir." Naruto told him.

"I was in the army myself years ago. I appreciate the work y'all are doing for us out there." He said.

"No, problem. I'm just glad I could help." Naruto smiled.

He smiled at glanced at the seat between him and Naruto.

Naruto understood and added, "I wonder who will be sitting between us.."  
>The man was about to say something else but looked off past Naruto towards something.<p>

"I reckon we're about to find out." He chuckled.

Naruto looked at him confused until he felt a light tap on his shoulder. He turned around to come face to face to the most beautiful green eyes he had ever seen.

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><p><em><strong>Sakura<strong>_

"Hello." Sakura said to the uniformed man. "I'm in seat 45. I guess I'm between y'all."

The uniformed man stood up to let her through. It was then she was able to fully look at him. He stood about four inches taller than her. Six foot two maybe, she mentally added. Blonde, out of control hair stuck out from his military cap. His build was medium almost like the perfect man. His face was angular but more rounded in the cheek bones. But what stood out to her the most were his abnormally bright, blue eyes.

She cursed to herself lightly when she realized she was checking him out and it was practically obvious. She turned her head downwards and picked up her carry-on bag.

"Let me get that for you, miss." The soldier told her, his voice a little strained.

He reached down and picked up her bag with his right hand while his other hand was still holding his coffee. As he put it in the overhead compartment, she noticed his face seemed tense. Almost like he was nervous. She had thought he was laughing and smiling when she approached him from behind. But then again, he was a soldier. They must always look like that. She nodded a 'thanks' to him before sliding into her seat. An older man next to her smiled.

"Hi, I'm John." She smiled and shook his outstretched hand.

"Sakura. Nice to meet you." She told him in reply as she felt her seat shift as the soldier sat down.

She looked over at him and watched him take off his cap and place it in his lap. She was right his blonde hair was extremely messy. The urge to run her fingers through it crossed her mind. She stopped herself. God, what am I thinking? She thought to herself. Instead she decided to properly thank him.

"Thanks for the help back there." She said pointing to the overhead compartment. "I'm Sakura Haruno."

He smiled and it stunned her for a split second, "My pleasure. I'm Naruto." He told her. "Naruto Uzumaki."

"Pleased to meet you." She told him. "So...Uh...Naruto you're a soldier? What branch?"

"Marines." He answered simply. "Or was a Marine."

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"I was shot and got a honorable discharged." He told her, his face saddening a little.

"Oh, my. Are you okay?"She asked slightly worried.

Where did the worry come from? She just met the guy and knew nothing about him.

"Yes. I'm fine." He chuckled. "It hit my shoulder, missing any vital organs." He smiled.

Ding. The intercom turned on. _"Good evening ladies and gentlemen. This is your pilot speaking. The weather looks cloudy and maybe some scattered thunderstorms. Otherwise that, it should be a clear flight to Houston. We'll be taking off in a few minutes, meanwhile the flight attendants will go through safety procedures. The flight should last about four hours. The estimated arrival time is 11:30. Thank you for flying Southwest. "_

The intercom chimed off as the turbines of the plane started. A flight attendant grabbed a microphone and started going through safety procedures. Telling everyone where the emergency exits were. Sakura heard Naruto chuckle to himself. She turned to him, with her eyebrow raised. He pointed to the window. Her gaze followed his finger as she saw what he was pointing at. They were seated in the emergency row.

"Of course. Now I can't ditch if the plane goes down." He muttered, sarcastically.

Sakura couldn't hold back the laugh that escaped her throat. The plane began to move backwards at that point. Very slowly it turned and started to bounce as the wheels went over the cement. She turned her head toward the window, trying to see where they were going. The plane took another left before slowly down to a stop on front of a long stretch of cement. The 'Fasten Seat Belt' sign dinged and lit up. A few seconds later the turbines started to spin faster and the plane moved faster. Her hand gripped the armrests. She always hated take offs. Her eyes glanced at the Marine next to her. His arm was on the farthest armrest, his chin in his hand. He looked completely bored. He noticed her eyes on him and smiled at her. The plane hit maximum speed and lifted off the ground. Somewhere deep inside her, Sakura wasn't necessarily sure if it was the plane that took off.

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><p><em><strong>Naruto<strong>_

From the moment he saw her, something deep down inside him clicked. He was overcome with this emotion he never felt before him. He tried to put on the best poker face he could manage as he offered to put her bag up.

He shook his head at the memory. The plane had just now reached the highest altitude and the 'Fasten Seat Belt' sign had turned off. It would be too long before the flight attendants came down the aisle offering drinks.

He turned to Sakura who was staring at the seat in front of her. Like she was lost in her thoughts.

"So.." Naruto started. "What brings you to Texas?"

She turned to him and her face lit up, "Well I was visiting some family over the Christmas break. I live in Texas. What do plan to do hang out with your family?"

His lips pulled back into a thin line, "I don't have any family really." He told her.

"Oh my God. I'm sorry." She said, embarrassed.

"No, it's quite already. My mother and father were killed in a fire when I was just a baby." He told her, calmly, finding it easier to talk about it with her.

"No other relatives?" She asked stunned.

"Nope. The last one I had was my grandfather. He died two years ago of cardiac arrest." He said.

"That's horrible. I'm so sorry to hear that." She told him.

He nodded, "Well enough about me. What do you do?"

"Well, I'm still in college. I'm studying to be an ER (Emergency Room) doctor. I have about a year to complete before I get my degree."

"That must have been a lot of work." He told her.

"Yea, but it is all worth it." She continued.

Their conversation continued for about an hour and a half. As the people around them began to fall asleep, they stayed awake joking and laughing among themselves.

"God, I have a headache." Sakura complained.

"Hmm.." Naruto thought. "I know what will help a little." He pressed the button for service.

Sakura watched him wide eyed as the attendant came down the aisle to him.  
>"Two ginger ales. Please." He told the flight attendant, she nodded and walked to the back of the plane.<p>

"What did you tell her?" Sakura asked.

"You'll see." He replied, smiling brightly at her.  
>She rolled her eyes and leaned back into her seat, arms crossed. He chuckled quietly as the flight attendant came back down to him and handed him the drinks.<p>

"Here." He said, handing her one.

"What's this?" She asked, sniffing it.

"Have you've been living under a rock all your life?" He said jokingly, "It's ginger ale."

"Oh." She laughed, her cheeks changing a shade of pink.  
>She leaned down and took a sip of her drink, then glanced back up at him. He nodded approvingly, before closing his eyes and leaning back. The plane shook for a couple of seconds before taking a dip. Sakura's drink almost spilled all over the place as the 'Fasten Seat Belt' sign lit up.<p>

_"We're experiencing some turbulence at the moment. We are passing under a thunderstorm."_ The pilot said over the intercom.

The plane continued to shake roughly. When it seemed to stop, the plane would take a dip and it would feel as if you were floating above your seat. Naruto wasn't scared. He had been in a plane that flew through a hurricane. This was nothing compared to that. But none the less his left hand still gripped his armrest tightly. The plane took another dip, earning quiet yells of shock from the other passengers. He soon felt a soft hand gripping the top of his tightly. He turned to see Sakura. Her face was staring directly in front of her. He was pretty sure she didn't know she was doing it. The plane shook again for the last time before coming back to a smooth flight. Her hand was still on his and he glanced down at her. She quickly removed it and turned to the left hiding her face.  
>He chuckled, "Do planes scare you?"<p>

"No. Only ones that were about to crash." She replied to him sarcastically.

"It was fine." He argued. "But now you mention it, the pilot did look drunk." He said putting a finger under his chin, thoughtfully.

"What?" She said alarmed, her jaw dropping as she looked at him.

"God, you're gullible." He laughed at her.

She narrowed her eyes at him and pulled out her iPod. Putting the buds in her ears, he heard her mutter loud enough for him to hear, "I need to drown out this insane soldier."

Roughly a while later, Naruto felt a thud on his left shoulder. He hissed slightly in pain and turned to look to his left to see what caused it. His eyes widened and his jaw dropped a little. It was Sakura. She had fallen asleep with her ear buds in and her head leaned onto his shoulder. He smiled looking down at her, trying not to disturb her sleep.

His eyes then turned to the window. It was pitch black outside, and the older man was fast asleep up against the window. He sighed inwardly. Who was this girl? They just met and they act like they have known each other for years. It seemed like she brought the best out of him. Well, he told himself. Better move her before she wakes up and this get awkward. He put his right hand under her chin and gently pushed her into a upright position. As soon as he let go her body fell closer to him again. His eyebrows pulled together in frustration. Again he pushed her in an upright position. But yet again she fell onto him, even closer into his lap. Sighing in annoyance he pushed her again, but a little too hard. She rolled onto the old man next to her, waking both of them up. Shit. He closed his eyes, trying to pretend he didn't do anything. He heard Sakura tell the man sorry but he was completely fine with it.

Ding. _"Please put all trays in the upright position and buckle your seat-belts. We have about ten minutes until we land. We ask that you please stay seated once the plane lands. Welcome to Houston. And thank you for flying Southwest." _The pilot said.

Naruto looked towards the window. He could see the city light in the darkness as the plane began to circle the landing strip. All the passengers were awake but all seemed to be tired. Naruto felt a rumbling beneath his feet as the plane's wheels started to come out. It dropped altitude and soon enough the wheels made contact with the cement. Panels on the wings flew up, helping slow the plane down as it landed. It drove slowly into one of slots and came to a complete stop. The flight crew were busy reading the plane to be boarded once again and the luggage crew had began to open the plane up to unload it. Naruto turned away from the plane window.

Naruto unhooked his belt and so did Sakura. Passengers in the front began to leave the plane. He stood up, putting his cap back on and opened the compartment above his head, pulling his and Sakura's bag out. She was about to take it but he pulled it away from her.

"Please allow me, miss. I will escort you to your ride. After it is dark." He told her, smirking.

"Oh, what a gentleman." She said sarcastically but allowed him to carry her bag for her.

They left the plane and walked into the seemly empty airport. It was close to midnight and most of the planes had stopped running for the night. The lights were beginning to shut off as they walked through the airport.

"So, where is your ride?" He asked her.

"He said he be at the end of the escalator." She told him.

_He?_

They walked up two the escalator that led downwards onto ground level. And sure enough, a man stood. He was wearing a black buttoned up top and jeans. He had slick raven hair that stuck out. He arms were crossed, as Naruto stepped on the escalator. He realized at once, this man was too long to be her father and too different to be her brother. Their eyes made contact as the raven haired man frowned at the sight of him. _Great..._

They stepped off the escalator and Sakura threw her arms around his neck, hugging him. Naruto's heart hurt a little bit at that point. It was weird he never felt this emotion before. What was it? He watched the man to see him look at the girl clinging to him. However his eyes never left Naruto's. They did once, just to look at him holding her suitcase. Sakura turned back to face Naruto.

"Naruto, this is my boyfriend, Sasuke." As soon as she said 'boyfriend' he smirked at me. But he wasn't going to let him have the pleasure as Naruto smiled brightly.

"Sasuke, this is Naruto, he's a Marine." And in turn Naruto smirked when she said 'Marine'.

"I can see that." Sasuke's smirk faltered a bit. _Gotcha. _Naruto told himself.

Naruto offered his hand, "Nice to meet you."

The man before him did not hesitate as he shook Naruto's hand. "The pleasure's all mine." He replied.

And for some reason Naruto did not know. The handshake felt like when you're a football player and you shake hand with the other team and the referee says, "Let's have a fair fight."


	2. To Do or Die

**Unpredictable Fate**

**AN: I would like to gives thanks to my lovely editor, Love is Only a Word.**

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><p><strong>Unpredictable Fate<strong>

**Chapter Two: To Do or Die**

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><p><em><strong>Sakura<strong>_

It was almost like watching two complete opposite forces clash. Naruto and Sasuke had stared deeply into each other's eyes for a long moment before letting go of each other's hands. Sakura had no idea what it was about. After they broke contact, Naruto had put her suitcase gently on the ground as Sasuke put his hand on the small of her back. But something was off. It wasn't a protective gesture in which he touched her. It wasn't even loving. It seemed more possessive.

"It was a pleasure to enjoy your company on the flight, ma'am." Naruto told her, dipping his cap down.

"Yes, of course. It was a nice flight." She replied back.

"Well then I shall be on my way." He added.

There was some much more she wanted to say to this man. In a matter of hours of knowing him she felt she has known him her whole life. And she wasn't ready for him just to walk out of it.

But her head beat her heart to it.

"Until we meet again, Mr. Uzumaki." She told him.

He nodded. Then he glanced between her and Sasuke before finally walking down the hallway of the airport. His navy blue uniform disappeared from sight as he walked through the sliding glass doors. It was then she realized she never got his number. Or anything about him to be exact. A new emotion came over her. Disappointment? She didn't know. It felt like he took something from her with him. A rough voice broke her concentration.

"So you're gone for four days and manage to pick up a military dog?" Sasuke asked her, his voice livid.

"What are you talking about? He just sat next to me on the plane." She defended herself, annoyed.

He squeezed the bridge of his nose together, in frustration. "We'll talk about this at home. Not here." He pushed her forward leading her out of the airport. "I have the car waiting outside."

He led her to a black mustang waiting in front of the airport. "Get in." He told her, walking around to the driver's seat.

The ride was awfully quiet. Well as quiet as it could be with the pounding rain against the windshield. Texas had the most bipolar weather in the whole world. Lightning struck off in the distance as it rained harder. She bit her bottom lip slightly, trying to keep the fear creeping up at bay. Thunderstorms had always scared her as a little girl. They still do every now and then.

She had been dating Sasuke for six months now. He was a successful detective of HTPD ( Houston Texas Police Department). She had met him one day when her parents introduced her to him. They always wanted her to marry a successful man that could support her. But as the saying goes, first impressions are usually wrong. He seemed nice and kind at first, until their first fight. He was controlling. He was ambitious and determined. But most of all he was cold. She never really loved him. But something unknown to her was keeping her from leaving him. She would sometimes wonder if she ran how far she would make it before he caught up to her. She knew Sasuke didn't care about her at all. It just looked good in his political career. Oh what was the term? Trophy wife. That's it. Maybe she just didn't have the courage to finally end it..

The moment she saw Naruto, her whole life had stopped right before her eyes. For some reason he made her analyze all her choices she had made until then. He was unlike so many other men. Naruto's job didn't bring the hatred out of him. Until today she thought all military men were ruthless and cold. He was that ray of sunshine in a hopeless and clouded place.

Her breath hitched in her throat as her mind clicked together. Was that cliche saying so true? Could true love at first sight be real?

It was a strange emotion, love. Love was dangerous. It was irrational and not logical. A time ago, she thought she was in love with Sasuke. But now she knows she had never felt that for him. She shook her head as another part of her mind argued with her. _You just met this man_, it sneered at her. _You don't know anything about him. Besides he's already gone_. He's already gone...

Those words couldn't be any truer. Her last bit of hope clinging to her heart disappeared. Regret replaced it. What could it have been if she just asked that soldier to stay? What could have been different? Was it fate for him to walk out of her life as easily as he walked in?

The mustang pulled up into their driveway. They had a small one-story house or well he had a small one-story house. Sasuke turned the ignition off and opened the door his car, getting out. Rain poured down in him as he motioned for Sakura to follow. She sighed opening her door. Jumping out, she ran after Sasuke, her hand above her head, trying to keep the rain off herself. He unlocked the door and let them both in. He threw his keys on the counter before turning around to face her.

"So... Who was he?" Sasuke asked his voice level as he glared at her.

Sakura sighed, "I just met him on the plane, Sasuke. He sat next to me."

"Do you get sick of lying all the time?" He asked.

"I'm not lying." She seethed through her teeth.

"I've should of known. Once a military girl, always a military girl." He sneered.

"You don't bring him into this!" She told him, her finger pointing at him.

He laughed darkly, "Why not? It's from him you have a thing for men in uniforms."

"Don't talk about my father like that." She hissed at him.

He rolled his eyes, "Have you forgotten what he did to your family, Sakura?"

Her head swarmed with the memories. Her father was always away on missions. He wasn't around for most of her young life. She remembered when she was only five and he came in one night.

_The front door slammed open as a man dressed in a all black uniform came in. He was covered in blood, his eyes wide in agony. She had run to him, smiling._

_"Daddy!" She yelled, but stopped dead in her tracks at the sight of him. "Daddy whats wrong?" She asked, worried._

_He had fallen to his knees before her, grabbing his head in his hands._

_"I killed them." He moaned. "I killed my best friend." He said, his eyes not seeing her._

_Emotionally he wasn't there. His eyes empty, as his fingers tightened around his scalp. Her mom had rushed in at some point and knelt beside him, trying to bring him back to the present._

_As the memory faded she could still remember the smell of gasoline that came off of him. It almost drowned out the smell of iron from the blood on his hands._

"This is not about him, Sasuke. This is about you overreacting all the time." She said through her teeth.

He chuckled, a angry laugh, "Sakura I am really getting tired of your bullshit. I work long and hard hours and this is how you repay me?"

"What are you talking about? Goddam! I told you I just met him!" She countered.

"People you just meet don't walk you to your ride!" He said bitterly.

"Would you just get your damn head out of your ass for one moment?!" Sakura yelled at him, she regretted the words as soon as they come out.

He swiftly approached her and stopped inches from her face, standing inches taller than her, "YOU don't talk to me like that!"

"You don't fucking control my life. And I'm sick and tired of you trying!" She told him, her voice lowering. "I can't take this shit anymore, Sasuke. We are always arguing."

"We wouldn't have to argue if you weren't cheating behind my back every chance you get!" He told her, disgusted.

"I was not cheating on you! How can you not fucking trust me?" She pushed him away from her. "I can't take this anymore. I'm leaving." She yelled, as turned towards the door. Swinging it open, she called back out to him, "And I'm never fucking coming back!"

She bolted from the house, rain instantly soaking her clothes.

"You will regret that, you bitch!" She could hear Sasuke shouting from the porch, but she kept running.

Her cloths clung to her skin as she ran. She finally did it. She finally left him for good. She didn't know how long she ran, she only stopped when she couldn't run anymore. Slowly down to a walk, she pulled out her cell phone and dialed a number.

"Hello?"

"..." She was still breathing hard, as she waited to catch her breath.

"Sakura, is that you?" The voice asked worried.

"Yes. Temari, I need you to pick me up, it's an emergency." Sakura breathed.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Naruto<strong>_

He yanked opened the door to his black Cadilliac and threw himself in. Closing the door behind him, he chucked his suitcase in the back of his car. It had just started to downpour and he's lucky he wasn't soaked.

He cursed himself lightly, as he pulled the car out of the car lot. How could he have been so stupid? Of course she would have a boyfriend. He shook his head as his hands clenched the steering wheel. This is why he needs to be more closed-in. You get your hopes up only to have them crashing back down. He clearly remembered that man's face. Sasuke...the word was disgusting in his head.

He took a left onto the main highway. He let his thought run around wildly in his head until he arrived at his house. His car pulled into the driveway as he shut the engine off. It was quiet, as the rain poured on the windshield. With a heavy sigh, he grabbed his bag from the back and pulled himself from the car. He walked slowly to the door, not caring if he got wet. Digging into his pocket of keys, he unlocked the door and pushed it open. Naruto sat his suitcase down by the door as he closed it. He walked by the answering machine and pressed a button.

_You have no new messages._ The machine told him.

"Of course.." He rolled his eyes, taking off his cap and tossing it on the couch.

He walked back towards his kitchen as pulled out a ginger ale and sat back down on the couch. He hadn't been much of a drinker because his father was. And it messed up your true personality. You couldn't be yourself when you were drunk so Naruto tried to stay away from it.

He grabbed the remote and turned the TV on. It was on the news channel so he kept it.

_"Our top story, United States Armed Forces move in to stop the North Korean uprisings. A fight had broken out across the border between North and South Korea. We go now to General Hatake of the Marine regiment stationed out there." The reporter says as the screen changes to a man dressed in camouflage. His blackish white hair is sticking out from under his helmet as he waits for a question. "What is your take on this situation, General? Is there a danger to the general population of some magnitude?" The reporter asked. "Well.." The General starts, "..much fighting has started down here. The United States military is doing everything in their power to stop North Korea from advancing. We, at this moment, do not believe civilians back in the US should be preparing for anything." The reporter nodded, "Some suggest this could possibly be the outbreak of World War III. Could this be a possibility?" The uniformed man was already shaking his head before they finished, "It is a small fight between two countries. There is hardly a chance for the United States to be involved so much for it to come to a full out war. Our current military actions are only to protect our embassies and keep North Korea from invading South Korea." The reporter nodded and turned to the screen facing the audience, "Thank you, General. We now turn back to-"_

Naruto clicked the TV off and roughly chuckled. "Same military bullshit."

He stared off it the darkness of his house, at nothing in particular. Naruto took another sip of his drink. He checked his watch, two in the morning. He leaned back into the cushion on the couch, his eyes closing. The tiredness from both flights was taking its toll on him. He felt himself set his drink down, just as sleep overtook him.

_Ring. Ring_. Naruto jolted off the couch, looking for the sound. He glanced over to look at the house phone ringing. He grabbed the phone and picked it up.

"Corporal Uzumaki." He said into the speaker.

_"God. Still always so formal?"_

He chuckled. "Shikamaru? How are you, man?"

_"Good, good. I'm calling to tell you about the wedding."_

"Oh yes. How did the proposal go? I'm your best man, right?" He smiled into the phone.

_"Yes, of course. It was great, Temari was so excited. However, the wedding has been moved. My time of leave has been reduced. Some crap across the damn country going wrong."_

Naruto rolled his eyes, " Yea, I saw it on the news. It's not just North Korea is it? Some mercenaries hired from other countries as a cover up?"

_"Shit. I don't know. I hope it's not too bad. But anyways... We are doing the wedding two weeks from now. That should be enough time, right?"_

"Yea, of course. What time do you have to go back after the wedding?" He asked.

_"Three days."_

"Isn't that pushing it?" He asked.

_"Yea, I thought so too, but Temari wants to do it as soon as we can."_

"Alright, sounds good." Naruto smiled.

_"See you then, man."_

"Alright, bye." Naruto hung up the phone.

He noticed he was stilled dressed in his uniform and he started to unbutton his uniform jacket. The morning sun was poking through his windows as he tossed his jacket on the couch. Walking into his bedroom, he opened the closet. Naruto shifted through some of the clothes before sighing. Damn, he thought. He needed to get a tux for the wedding.

* * *

><p><span><strong>Two weeks later.<strong>

Time seemed to fly by when he was alone. But seriously, he could of swore he was shopping for his tux yesterday. Naruto pushed that to the back of his mind and smiled at his best friend.

"Dude, calm the hell down." Naruto laughed, standing by Shikamaru's side.

"Easy for you to say, you're not getting married." He sighed, fixing his bow tie.

It was almost time for the wedding to start. Keeping tradition, Shikamaru hasn't seen Temari all day. The nerves were getting to him and it was making him fidgety.

"You're not having second thoughts are you?" Naruto pretended to gasp in mock horror.

Shikamaru punched Naruto lightly, "Of course not! God. Go act gay somewhere else."

Naruto rolled his eyes, as he walked to the door where he heard a knock.

"Yes..?" He asked, cracking the door open.

Shikamaru's dad stood outside, "It's time."

Naruto nodded and closed the door.

"It's time, Shikamaru, to lose your freedom." He called out.

"Shut up, Naruto."

Shikamaru turned around holding his arms out. "How do I look?"

"Hot." Naruto said seriously, running his eyes up and down him.

"..."

"Just kidding. Come on." Naruto chuckled, motioning to the door.

"You got the ring, right?" Shikamaru asked, coming to stand next to him.

"Of course." Naruto shook his head, murmuring why he would forget it.

Shikamaru heard him and laughed quietly, "Because it's you, Naruto."

Naruto lead Shikamaru out of the dressing room and into the outdoors. The wedding and reception was being held outside. It was truly a sight to see. Wooden, white chairs were lined up neatly. It was a heavy dense forest with a small clearing. A small creek bed ran beside it. People were already seated.

Shikamaru's wedding was a little bit different from most. There were five groomsmen, including himself, and five bridesmaids. They were to pair off with one another and walk arm in arm to the priest. At that moment they were to split. Groomsmen were on the groom's side and bridesmaids on the bride's side. Since Naruto was the best man, he would be paired with Temari's maid of honor.

Naruto sighed. He would be the first to go down the aisle.

At that moment the bridesmaids walked out. He saw Hinata walk over to stand by Kiba. And some brunette ran up to stand next to Temari's brother, Gaara. A girl with long brunette hair strolled up to me. She smiled as she arrived in front of me.

"Hi, I'm Tenten. The maid of honor was helping Temari with something. She'll be here shortly." She told me.

He murmured thanks to her before she joined Hinata's cousin's side. Truth be told he hardly knew any of these people. Besides Kiba, he first met them at the bachelor party.

He sighed checking his watch. The maid of honor better hurry up, he thought bitterly. God. How long did it take? Be late to your own friend's wedding? He shook his head. Damn girls. Probably some annoying girl that would hit on him. He felt a presence on his side. And strangely enough, his tense shoulders relaxed.

"Sorry I'm late. Had to do some last minute touch up." She laughed nervously.

"You keep me waiting a long time..." He trailed off as he looked at the women beside him.

Her eyes widened and so did his in recognition. Those beautiful green eyes.

"Sakura.." He said quietly.

"Naruto..?" She said at the same time as him.

A slight awkward silence hung over them like a blanket. But before she could turn away, Naruto summoned the courage to speak.

"It's a pleasure to be at your presence once more." He smiled.

"Still a gentleman I see." She chuckled. "You're the best man?" She asked her voice still nervous.

"The one and only." He said, with a wink. Her facial expression relaxed immediately.

Music began to play. A soft cheery tone.

Naruto turned to her, offering his arm. "I do believe that's our que."

She nodded and hesitantly took his arm. He felt better instantly. They walked down the aisle as the other four followed behind them. Naruto shortened his long strides to match her shorter and choppier ones. As they reached the end they both pulled away and stood on their respected sides. Once they broke contact he felt disappointed. He pulled his lips back in annoyance. She had a boyfriend. Stop Naruto, he told himself. He was getting tired of the silent battles inside himself already, and the wedding just started. This was going to be a long, _long_ day.

He forced himself to look towards the aisle. But his attempt at diverting his attention was failing. Every now and then he would glance at her. And sometimes their eyes would meet, but he would quickly glance down.

Shikamaru started to walk down and came to stand in front of Naruto. He nodded towards him and faced the crowd. Soon after, the music changed to the traditional song signaling the bride was coming. The people rose to their feet and turned to look toward the aisle. It was then that Temari appeared. She was beautiful of course but Naruto watched Shikamaru instead. He was greatly amused by his expressions. First he was nervous but once he saw her, it was like she was the only one in the room. Their walk was slow as Naruto shuffled his feet. She was hanging onto her father tightly. Her eyes finally glanced up to look at Shikamaru. And his face seemed to be all the courage she needed. Temari's father handed her off to Shikamaru. Shikamaru took her hand and brought it to his lips before they turned to the minister.

"Dearly beloved we are gathered here today to join Temari and Shikamaru Nara in holy matrimony." The minister called out.

His voice faded out, as Naruto became distracted by the girl across from him. _Dammit._ Get your head in line Naruto. You're supposed to be there for your best friend at his wedding and all you can seem to think about is her. Sakura was too caught up in watching the exchanging of vows to notice the pair of blue eyes staring holes into her. He took that time of distraction to marvel every single detail of her face. From her rosy cheeks to her perfect nose. He found no faults. No imperfections. Though he has heard her complain about her forehead being too wide, he only laughed at the thought of this. Every feature made her who she was and he wouldn't change anything for the world.

The same feeling he felt on the plane began to creep back up in him. He could never place what it was or why he was experiencing it. It traveled down his arms. His legs. Every inch of his body, until it rested deep down next to his heart. His mind clicked together in recognition. It was the same emotion his felt so many years ago. The emotion he felt when his family was still alive. It was longing. And the hardest one he had to admit to himself, it was love. He was falling for her. He was falling in love with Sakura.

"Naurto!" Shikamaru hissed, quietly. "The ring."

_Shit._

He put his hand into his right pocket and pulled out the ring, which he handed to Shikamaru. He hand was shaking. Not nerves for Shikamaru, no. But for himself. The realization that he did in fact love her was scaring him. He just freaking met her! This was beyond ridiculous. He cursed himself for being so open with her on the plane. Hell he was even mad that he survived the ambush. But the hardest thing of all was knowing that he can't have her. And he never could.

Shikamaru didn't notice his nerves. He seemed oblivious of anything but his soon-to-be wife. He took the ring from Naruto, and the vows continued as if nothing had happened. Naruto kept his eyes glued to Shikamaru. Afraid to look or even glance back at her. The emotion he felt was too strong and he was a weak man when it came to self-control. He had to get out of here as soon as possible. He needed to sort his thoughts out. He needed a distraction. Dear god, he needed her.

"If there are no objections, I announce you man and wife. I'm proud to announce Mr. and Mrs. Shikamaru Nara." The minister called out for all to hear. "You may kiss the bride." He added more quietly.

The crowd began to clap as Shikamaru and Temari shared a passionate kiss. Naruto felt himself clapping as well, with his fake smile plastered to his face. The normal lonely and hatred feeling he felt whenever he saw a couple was gone. Almost like it never existed in the first place. God, what's happening to me, he thought.

They pulled apart and Shikamaru took her hand and led her back down the aisle. Naruto knew he had to get out of here as soon as possible. He had to get away from her. He couldn't get attached to her.

As soon as his best friend and his wife were heading to the reception area, he bolted back into the dressing building. Naruto went into the first unisex bathroom and locked the door behind him. His hands clenched the sink as he stumbled in.

Get yourself together, Naruto. He told himself. You can't love her. Love has only brought you pain. And loving her will bring you pain.

He had never hated a man so much in his entire life. Just his name was enough to leave him trembling in anger.

He turned the sink handle and splashed cold water on his face. He stared at his reflection. The old Naruto was gone. Instead a man stared back, his eyes bright with the spark that had returned. The man seemed to mock him, for the man in the mirror had found his salvation.

Naruto staggered back into the wall. Soon after he heard a knock against the door.

"Naruto! You in there?" Kiba yelled. "We're about to start the dancing."

Dancing? Shit. I'll be paired with her. Was Shikamaru really trying to to kill me? Naruto thought desperately.

"I'm on my way." He heard himself mutter.

Naruto was too afraid to even glance at the man in the mirror again. Hell, call him a coward. He just couldn't do it.

He pushed open the door and walked out, thanking god that Kiba had already left. He was back outside and the sun had gone down. The most beautiful sunset he had ever seen hung over the crowd. He arrived just as the music changed and it was Shikamaru and Temari's first dance. His eyes wondered nervously around, searching for her. But to his delight and disappointment, she was no where to be seen. He should have felt relaxed that she wasn't here. That he didn't have to face her and tell her why he bolted when he was given the chance. He shook his head. God his brain was messed up.

The music ended with a soft beat. The crowd applauded as the newlyweds finished their first dance. The music picked up again as the whole crowd split into pairs. A girl with choppy blonde hair approached him. Her smile never wavering.

"Would you care to dance?" She asked, seductively.

He was intent on saying 'no' but that would be rude. He was clearly not with anyone. So he ruefully agreed.

He took her hand and led her to the near middle, where he placed his hands on her hips. It was a slow song. So Naruto swayed to the beat not really into the whole idea. It felt wrong. But that didn't stop her. She leaned on him, like he was her life-line. Purposely pressing her against him. His jaw clenched in annoyance. But with his horrible, damn luck, she took it as a sign that he was trying to restrain himself from her. That he wanted her. The excitement in her eyes grew.

At that moment he was livid. How long was this fucking song anyway? He'd swear it had been more than five minutes already. He tried diverting his attention from the sexual demon in his arms, but with his luck, his eyes came to rest on the very person he tried to avoid. Only she was laughing with a dark headed man who held her in his arms.

He was beyond livid. The emotion came with such a force it surprised him. He rather roughly pulled the blonde girl off him.

He didn't care that Sakura was taken anymore at that point. For once in his life, he wasn't going sit back and watch fate fuck up his life. He was not falling for Sakura, he realized. He had already fallen in love with her back on that plane to Houston and there was no turning back. He could not lie to himself any longer. Within a month this girl walked into his life, and it changed it him for the better. She was now his reason for living. A door had opened and set him free from his horrible past. He would not let the door close again. If being with her caused a fight, so be it. He would fight to the end. And he would not lose.

Naruto pushed the girl at his side away, without another glance, ignoring her calls of protest as he came to stand behind the dark headed man. He never once noticing how the environment flickered for a split second.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Sakura<strong>_

Sakura had just started dancing with a man who introduced himself as Sai. He was a quiet and seemly social awkward man. Shortly after Naruto had appeared behind him, his expression anything but pleased.

"Excuse me." He said through his teeth, as he put his hand on Sai's shoulder. "May I intervene?"

Sai simply nodded, with a bored expression, as he handed Sakura over to Naruto. As so as his strong arms pulled her into a dancing position, she felt like it was two puzzle pieces fitting together perfectly. But she brushed off the thought.

"Nice to see you again...Naruto. I was afraid you had gotten ill." She told him, remembering the way he sprinted out of the alter.

He turned his head down to look at her, "My apologies, I had some unfinished business to take care of."

"And what would that be?" She pressed.

He said nothing, only looking to the side.

"How do you know the bride?" He asked, changing the subject.

Well, if he was going to be that way two can play this game.

"How do you know the groom?" She shot back, smiling.

Instead of glaring down at her with a annoyed expression, his mouth quirked up into a smile.

"He is my best friend. I met him in the Marines and have been friends with him since." He answered me, raising his eyebrow.

_Cocky son of a-_

"What a small world." He chuckled to himself.

"What do you mean?" She asked, as they continued spinning to the music; him leading her.

"I never thought I'd see you again after I left the airport." He admitted. "And here you are."

"Me too." She said, as he dipped her backwards, holding her entirely in his right arm, while his left stabilized her.

"Weird twist of fate, huh?" He breathed along her neckline.

Her heart raced. "Um.. Y-yea." She stammered.

He pulled her back up and continued the dance. She faced her face away from his blue eyes, trying to hide her pronounced blush. She really hated how he made her feel this way. Even just in his presence she couldn't think straight and found herself stuttering like Neji's cousin.

And as soon as she felt her body relax completely against him, he pulled away.

He laughed at her confused expression.

"I do believe the dance in over, ma'am." He told her. Bending down slightly, he kissed her hand, sending liquid fire to her skin where his lips touched. "Until we meet again, Mrs. Haruno." He told her before, disappearing.

She had said the same thing to him a few weeks ago. She laughed slightly in her mind. Was his whole gentleman appearance an act? Or was that how he was raised?

But there were two things she was sure of. He was the most complicated and mysterious person she'd ever met. And two, she could still feel the sensation his lips made when he kissed her hand, that made her skin live wire. That made her question that who this man was to her?


	3. The Reason of Existence

**Unpredictable Fate**

**AN: That you for your continued support of this story. Things may seem confusing at first, but stick with it to the end.**

* * *

><p><strong>Unpredictable Fate<strong>

**Chapter Three: The Reason of Existence**

* * *

><p><em><strong>Sakura<strong>_

At one point in everyone's life, you began to wonder if you have done things right. If your choices up to this point have been worth it.

The rest of the reception had gone by quickly. She had stood up and said her toast to the newlywed couple. As if her life was on fast forward without that Marine by her side. Strangely, the thought didn't scare her.

Shortly after the reception, a man pulled their car around and they were off to the airport. Shikamaru's friends had apparently arranged the honeymoon place, so neither of them knew where they were going. She decided not stick around. There wasn't much to do.

She had yet to see Naruto since the dance and his toast. Guests were already leaving. She quickly glanced at the clock on the wall, eight pm.

Sakura said goodbye to the people she did know before walking out to Temari's Jeep. Ever since she left Sasuke, she had been staying with Temari, until she can find her own place. She had yet to see Sasuke since. And that was fine by her. She was about to get into the driver's side before she noticed a piece of paper under the windshield wiper. Her hand reached back out and grabbed it. It was folded once, as she pulled the two sides apart.

_Until we meet again__  
><em>_361-530-4024_

No name. But she knew exactly who it belonged to.

She placed the note in the passenger seat beside her, then turned the ignition. She started to back up but was cut off by a Cadillac behind her. It was parked behind her and she couldn't see the driver. She honked her horn, trying to get the driver's attention. But he didn't move. Must be talking with someone, she thought dryly. But most of the guests had already left..

"What the-?" She heard herself ask.

But as soon as the words left her mouth, the Cadillac peeled off of the lot. Weird. She pulled out of the small parking lot and onto the dirt road that lead out of here. It was a thirty minute drive back to Temari's place. At least she will only be gone two days, Sakura thought sadly, not looking forward to being in a house all by herself. She was not scared to be in a house by herself, hell no, she can take care of herself. She just got so damn bored when she was by herself.

A wheezing noise brought her back to reality. Her line of sight glanced to her fuel meter. The arrow was past the E. The car shuttered to a stop as she slammed her head on the steering wheel in defeat; causing the car to honk.

"Dammit. Dammit. Dammit. Temari." She said with each dammit her head hitting the horn.

Sighing loudly she leaned back into her seat.

"Of all the rotten luck.." She moaned, pissed with herself for not checking the gas earlier.

Can't call Temari. Tenten lost her phone last night. Defiantly can't call Sasuke. Her eyes glanced to the note in her passenger seat. She hesitantly reached over and grabbed the piece of folded up paper.

_Should I call him? Or not? No don't, remember you just met him. Shut up. You're stuck in the middle of nowhere, alone. Well you got a point but still.._Her conscious fought with her, until she made up her mind.

"Enough." She said to herself. "God I need help." She mentally chuckled.

She yanked out her phone and dialed the number on the paper.

"..." She waited as the phone rang.  
><em><br>__"Corporal Uzumaki."_He answered all business-like. Corporal?

"Uh... Naruto?" She asked.

Silence. _"Sakura?"_He asked, sounding more excited.

"Yea." She chuckled nervously. "Where are you?"

_"Is something wrong?" _He asked, hearing the worry in her voice.

"No. Well. Yes. My car broke down and... I couldn't think of anyone else to call." She said.

_"I'm on my way." _He asked sternly.

Silence for a few seconds.

_"Hold on, there is some idiot in a Jeep parked on the side of the road without their emergency lights on."_Naruto sighed, annoyed.

She laughed, but then saw car lights behind her. "Hey, there is a car coming down the road. I'll see if I can flag him down." She said into the phone, getting out of the car.

_"Be careful."_She barely heard Naruto mutter.

A familiar Cadillac slowed to a stop in front of her. Great the same one from the parking lot..

_"Uh Sakura, do you happen to drive a white Jeep?"_She heard him laugh.

"Yea, how did you know?" She asked, as the car' Driver's side door opened.

A man in a tux stepped out with phone pressed to his ear.

_"I'm staring at it_._"_He said, closing the phone and walking to her.

"You're the asshole in the Cadillac?" She asked, laughing, as she pocketed her phone.

"Small world remember?" He said, raising his eyebrow at her. "So what's wrong with your car?"

He strolled past her and toward the Jeep, placing his hand on the hood.

"Um well, it's not my car. It's Temari's. She forgot to fill it up." Sakura sighed, once again scolding herself for not checking it.

"Good." Naruto laughed slapping his hand on the car, "Because I know nothing about cars and how to fix them."

She couldn't help the laugh that escaped her lips. Don't most guys act like they know a lot about cars to impress girls? But here Naruto openly says he has no idea. But then again, Naruto isn't like most guys.

A clap of thunder shook the sky overhead as lighting flashed on the distance.

"But it was sunny this morning.." She heard herself complain.

"You forget this is Texas, darlin', home of the most bipolar weather." He said in a mock Texan accent. "Here, lock the car up and we'll come back tomorrow to pick it up. I have a can of gasoline back home." He told her, normally. "I'll drop you off at your place and we'll come back in the morning." He suggested, shrugging his shoulders nonchalantly.

"Deal." Sakura agreed, walked back over to her car and pulled the key out of the ignition.

As she locked the car, Naruto stood by the passenger door of his car. At first she was confused. Isn't he driving? But her question was answered as he opened the side door for her. She raised her eyebrow as she got into the car. He shut it gently behind her, before running back over to his side.

That was new for her. Sasuke never did that for her. Only in public where they could be seen. Naruto hopped into the car, just as water droplets began to splatter across the windshield. She took in both her and Naruto's appearance. It looked almost like they were going to prom. Her in a dress and him in a tux.

"So where am I driving you to, miss?" He asked, like it was the most normal thing to say.

She glanced over at him, "024 Lincoln. That's Temari's address."

"You're staying with her?"

"Yea." She told him, her head looking out the window at the rain, which was coming down in buckets now.

"You said earlier that you didn't know who else to call. What about your boyfriend?" He asked.

Sakura hesitated a bit longer and Naruto interrupted her.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to-" He was cut off by her voice.

"No it's alright. My _ex_-boyfriend." She said, pointing emphasis on the 'ex'. "We broke up. It wasn't working out."

Silence for the rest of ride to her place. Sakura opened her mouth twice to say something but she couldn't find the right words. He seemed more relaxed, than he did two weeks ago.

While he was watching the road, she watched him out of the corner of her eye. The very sight of him made her heart ache with longing. This emotion wasn't new to her, but yet it seemed so much more intense with Naruto. His eye glanced at her and she turned her head away quickly.

"You want the radio on?" He asked, smiling.

"Sure." She reached for it the same time he did.

Their fingers brushed across each other. But neither of them drew their hands back in recoil. A hot fire started at the point where their skin was touching and ran throughout her body. Just like after their dance, her mind reminded her.

Naruto ended up pressing the button to turn the radio on. He drew his hand back and place it back at the wheel. His knuckles white with the pressure from holding the steering wheel so tight. His lips in a tight line.

Her heart plummeted. Was he that repulsed by her touch? She turned to the window, disappointed. Her hand still tingling with his touch.

"Here we are, ma'am." He said pulling to a stop in front of Temari's house.

She was about to thank him but he jumped out of the car, pulling an object out with him, and rushed to her side in the rain. The object was an umbrella as he popped it opened and opened her door for her.

"This isn't really necessary." Sakura chuckled.

He rolled his eyes, beckoning her with his hand, "Humor me."

She sighed loudly, annoyed. His eyes lit up with her defeated gaze as he lead her to the door.

"I'll be by here in the morning." He told her.

"What time?" She asked, unlocking the door.

He shrugged his shoulders, "As soon as you call."

And with that he was gone. His car sped down the street.

Sakura let herself into the house and locked the door behind her. She went straight to her bed to lie down. She was asleep almost instantly. Her dreams constantly changed but one dream remains the same. A blonde Marine standing in front of her, but his eyes never seeing her. His blue eyes blank with that thousand yard stare as he watched something that was not really there. She called out to him trying to get his attention, but he did not see her, for she was not real either.

* * *

><p><strong>The next morning.<strong>

Sakura woke up groggy, she had one hell of a headache and could believe the dream she had last night. Her car broke down and Naruto drove her home. What a weird dream. She thought as she looked out the front window. The driveway was empty, no car. It wasn't a dream..

She pulled out her cellphone and checked the time. Twelve'o'clock? She quickly dialed Naruto's number.

_"Hmm?"_

"Naruto? Sorry I woke up late." She apologized.

_"No. It's fine. I just woke up too. You ready to get your car?"_

"Yea." Sakura told him walking around to the closet to get dressed.

_"I'll be there in about fifteen. See you then."_

The phone clicked as she hung up. She tossed her phone on her bed and stared at Temari's closet. Her clothes were on the right side of the closet in a small section. Sakura didn't want to impose. Flipping through the articles of clothing, she decided on a simple shirt and jeans. She slipped her phone into her front pocket and went to sit and wait on the couch. Little did she know her life will never be the same again..

_Ding-dong._

She rushed to the door, couldn't helping her excitement. Sakura pulled open the door not bothering to see who it was. She already knew.

He stood in the doorway his hand behind his back with his same lopsided smile. He was dressed pretty much the same as her. Casual.

"You ready to get that car of yours?" He simply asked.

She nodded and followed him to his car. Like always he opened the door for her and rushed to his seat before backing out of the drive way. They didn't say much on the way to get Temari's car. Just some small talk that ended just as quickly as it started. But never once was she uncomfortable.

The white Jeep soon was a small blur in the distance as they approached the car. Naruto parked his car a car length away in front of the Jeep. Before he could open the door for her, Sakura jumped out, smirking at him. He rolled his eyes in defeat and opened the trunk to his Cadillac. Pulling out a gas container, he brought it to the side of Temari's car.

"This is about two gallons, I think." He said as he opened the container and started to put gas in her car.

"You think?" She questioned, raising her eyebrow playfully at him.

Completely ignoring her comment he added, "It should be enough to get you to a real gas station." Emptying the container, he turned to her. "All done. See if it works."

She ran over and hopped behind the wheel, surprised nothing was stolen. She put her key in the ignition and turned. Nothing. She tried again but the car didn't budge.

"It's not starting." She called to Naruto.

"For the love of-" She heard him shout as he walked to the front of the vehicle.

"Pop the hood." He told her.

She did as he told her and pulled the lever, releasing the hood.

"I think your battery is dead." Naruto said after a few minutes.

"I thought you don't know anything about cars." She laughed, coming to stand by him.

"I don't." He replied, pointing in the car.

On closer inspection she saw her battery was smoking. And small sparks were still coming out of it.

"Oh.." She started.

"Yea.." He laughed. "Also more bad news. I don't have jumper cables or whatever you need to fix this."

"Guess I'm stuck with you." She heard herself say.

"What do you want to do now?" He asked, closing the hood of the Jeep.

What did she really want to do? Well, her conscious was tired of her hiding her true feelings. She wanted nothing more than to be alone with him. It seemed like some invisible force was drawing her to him. The longing she felt when with him was hard to explain. The only word she could think of was love. But even that word was tossed around, downgrading its true meaning. Truth be told, words could not describe this feeling she had for him. The longer she was with him the stronger the feeling got. She was already crossing the point of no return, might as well enjoy the ride.

"Anything." I just want to be with you, she mentally added.

"I'll show you one of my most favorite places to be." He told her.

Taking her hand he led her into the woods by the road. And they never looked back.

* * *

><p>"Where are we?"<p>

"I used to come here as a kid." He said smiling.

They were next to a river. A quite large waterfall was roaring beside them. It was a very rocky terrain. He pointed to a small patch of land in the middle of the river. It was a small island. It was big enough for three people to lie down on. It was after the waterfall where the water was calmer after passing over the cliff. Five stones not submerged water lead from the land to the island. This place looked oddly familiar. Like an old memory you just couldn't put your finger on.

Naruto easily jumped from rock to rock to reach the island. However Sakura wasn't so optimistic. With her luck, she'll probably slip and break something. Seeing her unspoken distress, Naruto beckoned her with his hand.

"I won't let you fall." He promised.

She made her way towards him, slowly. He was already sitting down, seeing she didn't require his assistance.

"I still love this place. It always calmed me as a kid." He told her.

She stayed quiet. Drinking in the sight if this place, trying to remember what it reminded her as and trying to balance this feeling for Naruto.

"You seem distant." Naruto commented, laying down, placing his arms behind his head.

"It's just... I'm-... Uh!" She sighed in defeat, trying to find the right words.

He chuckled, looking at her.

"Is there something you're keeping from me?" He asked, raising his eyebrow.

How did he..? This man hardly knew her and he was reading her like a open book.

"Yes..." She said. "There is something I want to talk to you about but I don't want you to judge me."

"I won't. Go ahead." He offered.

"Um.. I don't know how to put this, Naruto.." Sakura started, her body turning to face his.

"Go on." He urged her, his eyes never leaving hers.

She took a deep breath, trying to suck up the courage, "When we first met, I felt as if I was a half of a whole. But as soon as you made your way into my life. I didn't feel that anymore. I felt complete."

He breathed out a breath he didn't know he was holding, "That's it, Sakura? That's what you were so nervous to tell me about?" He chuckled wildly, then leaned back to face her, "I've waiting for someone to enter my life and make me forget my past. No, not forget; make me not care about anything else. Sakura, I've been waiting so long and could never find that person. But then I found her. Sakura I found you."

Sakura tries to cut him off but he silenced her by placing his finger on her mouth.

"What I'm trying to say, Sakura, you gave me the reason to live. The will to live. As soon as I got shot and hospitalized, I wished I had died back there. And I was okay with that because no one would miss me. All my family was gone, what was the point anymore?" He voice broke, slightly. "I'm glad I didn't. Because if I did, I never would have found you. The moment my eyes met yours something changed. Some part of me was altered for the better. Yea, I saw that Sasuke had you and my outer shell of me knew it was a lost cause. But deep inside of me, I knew I could not and would not give up." He chuckled at his rambling. "I guess what I'm trying to say is that I love you, Sakura."

"But in the car, when our hands touched you pulled back, disgusted.." Sakura trailed off.

He laughed softly, "I'm not that dense, its just well, I was trying to restrain myself from you. Love is a very strong emotion, Sakura."

Her name being rolled off his tongue sent shivers to her very core. It was three little words that would change her attire life. Sakura stared at him wide eyed for a long moment before she whispered, "And I love you, Naruto."

And as if that was all the reassurance he needed, his lips crushed urgently against hers. She responded back, pushing herself up against him, every fiber in her being screaming for her to get closer, but she just couldn't get close enough. Naruto brought his hands to the small of her back, pulling her to him, not wanting to let go. Sakura pulled back for air quickly but put her lips back on Naruto's once she caught her breath. She wished she didn't have to breathe otherwise she'd never stop kissing Naruto.

Naruto's kiss was rough, but Sakura didn't care. She was returning the kiss even rougher. Sakura nibbled on Naruto's bottom lip, her hands rubbing up and down Naruto's back. He licked Sakura's lips, begging for entrance that was quickly allowed. Their tongues swirled around each other's mouths, which felt right. It felt like they've done it millions of times before. Sakura pulled back for breath. Naruto's lips never left Sakura. He places them on the corner of her mouth, her nose, her cheek, her chin, her shoulder, her neck, her ear, anywhere he could. Sakura's hands found Naruto's chin and brought his lips back to hers. She slowed the kiss down, pouring out her emotions through it.

"I love you Naruto." Sakura said again with her lips still on Naruto's. She needed to hear herself say it, so she knew she was making the right choice. But she knew she was. Something deep down inside her was going to never let him go.

Naruto pulled back and held her face in his hands, rubbing her cheek with his thumb. "I love you more than you'll ever know." Naruto looked deep into her eyes, showing how much he cared. He pulled her into a tight hug, showing no signs of letting go.

* * *

><p>They stayed in each other's arms just staring into the sky. Naruto's arms were around her protectively and her head buried in the crook of his neck. The sun had started to go down over the horizon. She didn't realize how long they were here but she didn't care. This moment was so perfect she didn't want it to end.<p>

"Have you ever wondered what the purpose of life was?" He asked randomly, looking at the sky.

"Yea. I think it's to find the purpose of life." She smiled into his neck.

"And what would yours be?"

"Well of course I found it, Naruto. It was you." She looked up at him. "Now that you mention it, I never thought of my purpose of life. I guess that's because I haven't met him yet."

Naruto looked down at her, as if he was studying her.

"God, you'll be the death of me." He mockingly moaned.

"What's yours?" She asked.

"I was the type of person who thought there was no purpose. That shit just happened in random. I began to think that way after my parents died." He said, his voice dropping a bit. "But at the wedding when I saw you, again, I realized that it was no coincidence. Almost like fate brought me to you, in my darkest hours. Such unpredictable fate.." He murmured, burying his mouth into her hair.

"Tell me about your parents." Sakura said, randomly.

He was silent for a moment.

"You don't have to if you don't want to." She said quickly.

"No, no. I was just thinking how to word it, Sakura. You are my life now, so you deserve to know everything about me." He smiled and kissed her hair. "My parents didn't really die in a fire. That was a cover up. They were gunned down in a home invasion. You see, my father was a powerful man in the military. He was a General and he specialized in weapons. I was home at the time in my room, when his best friend came to talk to him. His name was Vincent, if my memory holds." He laughed. "Vincent had a daughter about my age. We were pretty close, but I can't remember her name for the life of me." Sakura's eyes widen a bit. "Oh Sakura don't be jealous. She was just a childhood friend."

"I'm not jealous." Sakura defended herself.

"Right... Anyway, to make a long story short. Vincent shot my father twice in the head then killed my mother. He asked my mother if I was in the house. She said no trying to save me and told him I was spending the night at my friend's house. He believed her then killed her. I heard the whole thing from up stairs. He then let the gas to our stove leek out and lit a match. You can guess the rest." He added, sadly.

"Were you ok?" Sakura nearly yelled.

"Yes, I got out in time before the house blew up. Afterward I had to move in with my grandparents. They died when I turned eighteen." He sighed.

"Whatever happened to Vincent?" She asked.

"I don't know. I was always scared he'd come back for me to finish the job. I do have a picture of him. Here, I'll show you." One of his hands dropped from her waist to reach into his back pocket.

"Here." He said, handing her a folded up piece of thick paper.

Sakura grabbed it and opened it. It looked like a family photo.

"That was taken when my and his family was having a barbecue." He said.

An older blonde headed man, which she assumed was Naruto's dad, had his arm around a man with brown hair. They were smiling happily. Two young kids were sitting next to each other at their feet. The young boy, Naruto, had his arm around the little girl's neck. And their moms smiling for the picture.

She nearly dropped the picture when she looked at the girl next to Naruto. She knew something about this photo was familiar. She had the same one at her parent's house..

* * *

><p><em><strong>Naruto<strong>_

"What's wrong?" He asked, looking at Sakura's shocked expression.

"It all makes since now.." He heard her murmur.

"What makes since? Sakura, you're scaring me." He said, shifting out of their position.

She just stared at the photograph, "I knew you looked familiar. I just knew it."

"What?" He asked pulling her chin look at him. "What's going on-?"

She cut him off and shoved the picture in his face, pointing to the girl next to him when he was a kid.

"Naruto, look at the girl." She said, firmly.

"What about her?" He asked, confused.

Sakura shook her head impatiently, "No, I mean really look at her."

He stared at the picture, and then glanced at Sakura then back at the picture. He was about to say, 'I don't see anything' but something stopped him. His eyes widened in realization. The girl in the picture was Sakura. Same features, same pink hair. How in the hell did he miss that?

"How...?" He heard himself mumble.

"My father came home one night covered in blood and the smell of gasoline. He fell into my mother's arms, screaming 'I killed my best friend'. Naruto I'm so sorry." She pushed her way out of his unmoving arms. "I understand if you don't want to be with me or even near me." She continued, standing up.

_You're going to lose her, get up. _My mind told me.

Just before she took a step, his hand wrapped around her arm in a death grip.

"You must not have understood me, Sakura. You are my life now." He pulled himself up, still holding her arm. "And whether you like it or not, you're stuck with me."

"But my family killed your family." She injected.

"It's the past, Sakura. I don't care anymore. Whatever happens from now on, we will get past it together." He said firmly, standing up next to her.

His grip around her arm loosened as she threw her arms around his neck, pulling him in a tight hug. Surprised, his arms stayed by his sides before he wrapped them around her waist.

"Thanks." He heard her whisper into his shoulder.

"I will always be here for you." Naruto smiled down at her.

"I can't believe it. They always told me your family moved away. I was devastated." Sakura said sadly. "How could they lie to me?"

Naruto shook his head and offered, "Maybe they were trying to protect you."

"Naruto doesn't this bother you at all? My father killed your family." She looked up at him appalled.

He sighed, letting go of her. "Well yea. I'm pissed. Beyond pissed. But Sakura I have no evidence. And who am I to turn in my girlfriend's- no love of my life's father?"

"Girlfriend?" She asked, smirking.

"Yes I hope you don't mind. Do you consider us that?" He questioned. "If not I can always go back to that shy girl. Remember her? Hinata?" He offered trying to remember the name of the girl that liked him so long ago.

"You wouldn't." Sakura threatened.

"Oh I don't know." He trailed off.

Hearing no answer, he turned around just in time as she tackled him off the island and into the river. It was shallow but he was still soaked.

"Sakura..." He whined.

"Don't you remember this? I suspected this place was familiar. We always played down here." She remembered in wonder.

"Yes and you always drowned me. Twice." He added, pushing her off him and rolling her over so he was on top.

"I never would have thought you would become a Marine." She smiled up at him.

"Well you know what they say.." He trailed off looking into her eyes.

"What? Idiocy is only skin deep?" She asked innocently.

"Why you little-!" Naruto cut off before picking her up and carried her to the deeper side of the river.

"I swear to god, Naruto if you-" She was cut off by Naruto chunking her into the water.

He watched her with a playful smirk across his face. Just like old times... Everything was perfect. But something seemed off. Not just the coincidence, no, everything seemed wrong. Like smell of rain when there is none. A shiver ran up his back. Something was going to happen. Something soon. He just hoped he'd be able to protect her from it. Whatever it was, he had a bad feeling about it.


	4. What a Hell of a Way to Die

**Unpredictable Fate**

**Disclaimer: Song within the story belongs to its original creators. It is an American paratrooper song that was sung during World War II.**

**AN: The story is moving fast for a reason. In the end it will make sense why. Never meant for this story to be long, so the ending is coming up soon. This chapter may be a little confusing.**

* * *

><p><strong>Unpredictable Fate<strong>

**Chapter Four: What a Hell of a Way to Die**

* * *

><p><em><strong>Naruto<strong>_

"I think we should be going." He murmured to her, as the last of the sun disappeared behind the horizon.

Sakura looked up at him from under her eye lashes as she turned her body into his.

"Can't we just stay here forever?" She whined.

"Well besides how cliche that is, it's also going to drop to thirty degrees tonight. Our clothes are soaked and I don't need you dying on me now." Naruto stated plainly, pushing himself into a sitting position.

"Fine..." She answered, standing up.

By the time they got to the Cadillac it was pitch black. Being thirty minutes from the city, no city lights could be seen. Only the moon high in the sky, casting its ominous glow into the cars.

"What about my car?" Sakura asked stopping by the Cadillac's passenger door.

Naruto shrugged and hopped into the Driver's seat, starting the car.

"Naruto!" She scolded.

"We'll call a tow truck." He sighed, dramatically, like it was the last thing he wanted to talk about. "Besides, with you car-less, I have an excuse to keep seeing you." He laughed, giving his signature smile.

She rolled her eyes at his comment and got into the car, but stopped before closing the door.

"Is something missing here?" She asked him.

"What?" He said, looking at her confused.

"You haven't closed my door for me." She replied, smirking.

Well, if she wants to play that game, he was much better at it.

Naruto raised his eyebrows, "Well sorry for thinking you can handle it. If it's too much I can come around and do it for you. Heaven forbid Sakura from closing the door by herself." His voice layered with sarcasm.

She rolled her eyes and closed the door. Naruto smirked, starting the car, he won.

"Naruto do you think that we are moving too fast? I mean like in our relationship?" She asked suddenly.

His eyes left the road to look at her.

"No, do you?" He asked, a little worried.

"No! I was just making sure."

He smiled, turning his attention back to the road. "I think it's because we knew each other as kids and as a young boy I think I had a crush on you."

"Yea you're probably right." She laughed.

"Or maybe is some typical love story where we have thrown out all possibilities of reason based on what we feel now." He said and earned a glare from her.

"Alright to Temari's house?" He asked.

"Yep."

They reached the city in ten minutes as he pulled off the highway.

"Um.. Temari's house is that way." Sakura said, pointing to the highway as the car was leaving it far behind.

"Yes, and?" He questioned, trying to hold back a laugh.

"Where are you taking me?" She demanded.

"Well, considering either of us has not eaten at all today, I was thinking of taking you out to eat." Naruto explained.

She opened her mouth to reply but her stomach beat her to it by growling loudly. Naruto chuckled quietly.

"I guess that's a 'yes' then." He smiled at her.

"Weird I haven't felt hungry until now." She pondered.

"You have been- er... distracted." He finished, watching her blush, then turn to hide her face from view.

"But we are soaking wet." He heard her complain.

"Got that covered." He said, pointing to the back of the car.

"How-?" She started.

"Well, don't think this is stalkerish but Temari wanted me to watch over you while she was gone. She should be back now." He added off the subject. "Anyway she gave me a duffle bag with some of your stuff."

"That little-!" She didn't finish.

"Apparently even if your car did not break down, I was supposed to come by and check on you. Something about her not wanting to leave you in her house alone.." He trailed off as Sakura began to mumble quietly to herself.

"Should've never told her...when I see her...wish she was never born..." He wasn't able to catch all her words.

Trying to change the subject, he continued, "Where would you like to go? I'm buying."

"I don't know, wherever. Just not somewhere expensive. I don't want you wasting your money on me." She replied, still looking out the window.

God she was too nice. He didn't really like seeing her mad at him, but he already picked a place out before he asked her. The look on her face will be priceless.

He put in his turn signal and turned into the parking lot of a restaurant.

"Here we are." He said, parking the car, with a wide grin on his face.

It was a nice Italian restaurant. And by nice, it means expensive. Her eyes bulged out of her head.

"I'm pretty much dried." He said looking down at his clothes. "I'll see you inside." He said quickly, jumping out of the car before she could complain.

He walked easily into the restaurant. But with his plain clothes, he was getting stared at. Most people here were rich and were wearing nice clothes. He really could care less. He spent his whole life protecting these people from the danger outside these walls. Outside this country. Even with their arrogant and hateful looks they threw at him. Sometimes he wondered if they would act this way if they knew who he was and what he did. But still he didn't want them to see all he has saw. The care-free and innocent lives did not need to be scared and corrupted like his..

_His foot stepped harder on the gas. The Humvee sped up as he rounded the corner. The desert dirt shot out from behind the wheels of the armored car. Bullets impacted the sides of the car. He wasn't worried; the bullets had as much hope as a fly hitting the windshield. He took a quick glance at his watch. They were already running out of time._

_"Corporal can you go any faster?" The man beside him asked._

_The passenger had his assault rifle between his knees, his combat helmet above his eyes. He kept glancing back at the two men behind him, but for some reason Naruto knew not to check on them. Almost like he thought something was following them._

_"My foot is all the way down on the pedal. I don't think I can go any faster." The driver replied._

_"Uzumaki don't give me excuses." The man snarled beside him. "Air Force is going to light these place up in less than a few minutes."_

_"Yes sir-" He said over the roar of the tires against the road._

_"What the-?" The man next to him asked, but was cut off by a blinding flash in front of them._

_He felt his body jerk violently to the left, as his head slammed into the window.._

"Sir? Sir...?" The waiter in front of him asked.

He shook his head trying come back to the present.

"Yes?" He asked.

"What would you like to drink?" She smiled.

Huh? He looked across from him, seeing Sakura. Sitting there, looking at him worried. How did I get here..?

"Water.." He heard himself reply.

He must have zoned out again. He shook his head. He thought these nightmares of his past had stopped...

"Naruto you ok..?" Sakura asked.

She had changed clothes and was looking at him with concern.

These flashbacks had stopped once he met her. Why are they happening again? He was so fucked up. He did not deserve her. He was already too deep with this girl now and she deserved to know everything about him. But he really did not want drag her down with all his problems.

"Umm.. No." He told her. "I have these-Uh-flashbacks of my past in the military every now and then. I've thought they stopped when I met you. I'm sorry I never brought it up." He told her.

"It's ok. You can tell me whenever you're ready." Sakura told him.

"You deserve to know. I was never diagnosed with PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) but I always thought I might have a mild case of it." She nodded, urging him to continue. "I've done a lot of bad things in my days in the military. Things I will never forget until the day I die. But I can't bring myself to regret enlisting. I want to tell you so bad, Sakura, but I'm afraid once you know the real me, you'll run away."

"I do know the real you and nothing you did will change that." Sakura replied quickly after me. "Do think talking about it will help?"

He leaned back into his chair, then leaned toward her and said quietly, "Yes, but not here."

The waiter returned with their drinks. After setting them down she turned towards him, smiling.

"Are you ready to order?" She asked, seductively.

Are you fucking kidding me? At the wedding and now here.

"Yes, I'll have whatever my girlfriend is having." He smiled innocently, and motioned towards Sakura.

The waiter turned to ask Sakura, clearly disappointed with his answer. Sakura placed her order and turned back to him.

As soon as the waiter was out of hearing range, she spoke, "God. She was so desperate."

"What do you mean?" Naruto asked, innocently.

"She was throwing herself at you!" She yelled in a hushed whisper.

"Really? I didn't know." He answered smoothly.

Sakura rolled her eyes and sat back in her chair.

"Ok, I want to know more about you." She said finally.

His brow furrowed in confusion, "What..?"

"Like the little stuff. Your favorite color, food, you know." She told him.

"Ok. My favorite color has to be orange, yours?" He smiled.

"Orange is the insanity color, you know that right?" She laughed. "But anyways mine is a tie between red and pink."

"Clearly." He said, motioning towards her hair.

"Hey!" She yelled, annoyed.

"I don't even remember your real hair color. You got it done right after I met you." He laughed.

"I like it as a kid so I guess I just stuck with it." She said, smoothing out some of the strands of her hair. "It was strawberry blonde.." She added.

"Favorite animal?" He fired out.

"Hmm.. Cat, I guess. What?" She asked looking at the disgusted look on his face.

"I'm more of a dog person but my favorite animal has to be a fox." He said.

"Next question. Favorite song?" She asked. "I don't really have one." She added.

"Well mine has to be, Bless the Broken Road by Rascal Flats." His mouth widening into his signature smile.

That song had become his favorite when he realized the irony of meeting Sakura again.

She looked like she was about to say something but the waiter had returned with their food. She put the food in front of them and left quickly. Sakura had ordered chicken fetticune alfredo for the both of them. He hardly touched it. His eyes stayed watching Sakura, wondering what he did to deserve her. Surely, there was someone better than him. But as much as he wanted to push her away so she wasn't stuck with a monster, he knew he could never do that. She was his reason for living now..

"Would you stop looking at me like that?" Sakura asked her voice joking.

"Sorry couldn't help myself." He answered, putting his hands up.

"So.." She started, swallowing a mouthful of the noodles, "Any ex girlfriends?"

He laughed at her comment. "A couple, but I really never felt anything for them. Not really worth mentioning. They were just more Northern stars."

She rolled her eyes at his allusion to his favorite song, but he countered her question.

"Have you always dated that douschebag?" He asked calmly.

"Yea. I thought he was 'the one'. It took me a while to realize I was dead wrong. Wait. How do you know he was an asshole?" She asked.

"He gave me that vibe as soon as I met him. The way he watched you was all wrong. Like you were something to eat or something." He stated, honestly.

"Yea he mostly cared for his job. I was kinda a figure for his political career." She said sadly.

He put his fork down to stare at her. "Need me to teach him a lesson? I was pretty good at what I did in the military."

"And what was that?"

"Taking care of someone and not leaving a trace." He said in a melancholy voice. "Anyway you ready to go?" He asked politely, noticing she was finished.

She nodded and he paid for the bill, not glancing to even look at the cost. They hurried out of the restaurant and into the car. He put the Cadillac into reverse and pulled out onto the highway towards Temari's house. An impatient idiot tried to pull around him to get ahead but was cut off by oncoming traffic. As other cars honked their horns, the noise brought him back to the past..

_Burning metal was touching his leg as his eye sight slowly returned to him. He heard the rustling of metal behind him and the sound of fire licking up anything in its path. The Humvee was completely destroyed. Flexing his fingers and the rest of his muscles, he felt for pain. Nothing, good, he wasn't seriously injured. His vision kept fading back and forth. He touched the left side of his head and brought his hand down to look at his fingers. They were covered in blood. Great.. But head wounds do bleed a lot, it might not even be that serious. Groaning in the back, made him turn his head around._

_"Report!" He called out, trying to look behind him._

_"Private Inuzuka." A voice in the back called out. "I think my leg is broken and maybe some ribs." He said through his teeth, obviously in pain._

_"Sergeant Nara." Shikamaru said from behind him. "I'm fine."_

_"Major Lockhart is dead." Naruto said looking at the man in the passenger seat, or what was left of him. "Are we out of the bomb zone?"_

_"Shit. I don't know." Shikamaru said. "What the hell even hit us?"_

_"IED road bomb? RPG? Who knows? Let's get some cover. Whoever did it won't be far away and unless you want to be here when those bombs drop, I suggest we move." Naruto said._

_"Well, get off your ass and help me with Inuzuka." Shikamaru yelled._

_Naruto crawled out of the wreckage, picking up the Major's fallen gun on the way out. Shikamaru crawled out pulling Inuzuka with him._

_"All clear." Naruto said to them. "I see a village a little ways off. We could get cover there."_

_Throwing his assault rifle over his shoulder, he place one of Inuzuka's arm around his neck and Shikamaru did the same. They started walking as Inuzuka moaned in pain at each step. The staggered quickly and swiftly._

_"Shit!" Shikamaru yelled as friendly US bombers and fighter jets flew over them._

_"This is not happening. This is not happening." Inuzuka repeated to himself over and over again._

_"Pop smoke green smoke, dammit!" Shikamaru yelled._

_"I don't have any!" Naruto called back, patting his body and showing his empty hands to Shikamaru._

_"Get some now!" Shikamaru yelled._

_Naruto let go of Inuzuka's arm and set him down on the sand as he rushed back to the wrecked Humvee just as the Air Force changed course to an attack formation.._

"What an idiot." Sakura mumbled as the car behind him backed off on trying to past him.

"Yes well, the world is full of them." He heard himself reply.

It was quiet before Sakura spoke again.

"You had another flashback, didn't you?" She asked.

"What? How did you know?" Naruto's eyes left the road to look at her with surprise.

"Your eyes got all glazed over and darkened. They weren't bright anymore. But it's back now." She said touching my cheek, under my right eye.

"I'll tell you about it now, I guess." He took a deep breath and exhaled. "As you already know, I was a Marine and strangely really good at what I did. I specialized in killing people and not leaving a trace. Like stealth. They never knew they were in any danger before I took them out." He turned to stare at her before continuing. "I have killed exactly twenty-four people and not all of those were military personal.." He trailed off, watching Sakura's reaction. Finding none, he continued. "Two of which were children."

There was the delayed reaction. Her eyes widened in shock as she tried to cover it up.

"In Afghanistan, they would use children as a distraction. Sometimes plant a bomb on them. So I did what had to be done." He sighed, then moved on to another part of his past. "I remember carrying a fellow comrade over my shoulder while we were under fire. By the time I slowed down long enough to check him, I realized I was carrying a dead body the entire time." He shook his head at the memory. "That is probably what bothers me the most."

"Is that what you had a flashback of?" She asked.

"No. The one I keep having is a time in Iraq when my unit was about to be bombed by our own Air Force." He smiled slightly, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Of course we got out though."

"When we first met, you told me you got shot. Where?" She pressed.

"The top of my left shoulder." He said, removing his hand from the steering wheel to put at the spot. "I have also been in a car when it was shot off the road and I have healed burns along my legs where a bomb went off."

She gasped in horror looking at him. He smiled slyly at her reaction.

"I'm pretty fucked up. I should've died three times in my life, but now I'm glad I didn't." He looked over, as she reached to grab his left hand.

"Have you ever thought about going to a physicist?" She asked.

He shook his head. "There is nothing psychologically wrong with me. Not major anyways."

She began to rub circles on the top of his hand, "I had no idea.. I'm so sorry you had to go through all that."

He nodded and finally pulled up to Temari's house. "Thanks for listening, Sakura. I have never opened up like this. Most soldiers don't express our feeling because some of us think it makes us weak. But I feel as if a weight has been lifted from my shoulders."

He let go of her hand as he put the car in park and opened her door. He led her to the front door and stood there.

"Make sure you lock your door; I couldn't possibly lose you now." He chuckled.

He was about to turn and leave until her lips met his. It took him a second to react as he turned his head to deepen the kiss. But quick enough she broke away from him. She laughed at the expression on his face as he debated whether or not he should pin her against the door and kiss her until she passed out, but decided against it.

"See you tomorrow." He told her as she shut the door.

He waited until he heard the lock click into place and only then did he leave.

* * *

><p>It was an eerie scene. Men's faces, some familiar, others unknown. They were seated side by side, assault rifles in their hands. Emotionless, shells of their former selves, they sat waiting. The plane shook slightly as they went over a wind patch in the night air. Naruto looked down at his hands, but they weren't his hands. These hands were bigger than his. He no longer felt the slight pain in his shoulder were the bullet had hit so long ago. It was then he realized he wasn't in his body, it was someone else.<p>

_He was just a rookie trooper and shoulders surely shook with fright; He checked off his equipment and made sure his pack was tight; He had to sit and listen to those awful engines roar. You ain't going to jump no more. Gory, gory what a hell of a way to die.._

It was that damn paratrooper song. It continued as if going along with scene before him. The men were anxious as the commander walked down the aircraft, handing out the parachutes.

"You ready for this Sergeant?" The man next to him asked.

"Ready as I'll ever be." He heard himself reply.

Sergeant? He was a Corporal. And it was not his voice. His voice was lighter. This deep voice belonged to his someone he knew. It was so familiar.

"Nara you're up!" The man by the cargo door called out.

_"Is everybody happy?" cried the Sergeant looking up; Our hero feebly answered, "Yes." and then they stood him up; He jumped into the icy blast, his static line unhooked. And he ain't gonna to jump no more. Gory, gory, what a hell of a way to die.._

He nodded to the man waving him on and he jumped into the midnight air. Like he was trained to do he counted to six and waited for his parachute to come out. Nothing.

"Shit!" He heard himself say as he struggled to find the latch for his reserve chute as his body continued it's descend to the ground. Finding it he pulled it with all his might..

_He counted long, he counted loud, he waited for the shock; He felt the wind, he felt the clouds, he felt the awful drop; He yanked the cord, the silk spilled out from the reserves and wrapped around his legs. And he ain't gonna jump no more. Gory, gory, what a hell of a way to die.._

His reserve chute had failed! He struggled with the fabric trying to untangle it from his legs. The wind was cutting up his face as he continued to fall. Panic engulfed him as he tried to pull the fabric of the chute above him, trying to catch it in the wind..

_The risers wrapped around his neck, connectors cracked his dome; Suspension lines were tied in knots around his skinny bones; The canopy became his shroud, he hurtled to the ground. And he ain't gonna jump no more. Gory, gory, what a hell of a way to die.._

The only sound in the air was his piercing scream. But no one would hear it. He wasn't going to make it. The fabric flapped around his body as his body shifted to where he was going down head first. His heart was beating loudly as he thought of Temari. He had just married her and was about to leave her. Guilt was the next emotion he could feel besides the overwhelming fear..

_The days he'd lived and lived an laughed kept running through his mind; He thought about the girl back home, the one he left behind; He thought about the medics and he wondered what they'd find. And he ain't gonna jump no more. Gory, gory, what a hell of a way to die.._

He watched the ground come closer at an alarming speed. He closed his eyes tightly, not wanting to watch. He was going to die. He was going to plummet head first into the ground. All he thought of to say was his name and rank.

"Sergeant Shikamaru Nara of the 6th Division of the Marines.." He heard himself say into the wind.

He knew it was his name in this nightmare as he continued to spin around in the air..

_The ambulance was on the spot, the jeeps were running wild; The medics jumped and screamed with glee, rolled up their sleeves and smiled; For it had been a week or more since last a'chute had failed. And he ain't gonna jump no more. Gory, gory, what a hell of a way to die.._

"Temari please forgive me.." He barely whispered. "I never meant for it to end like this.."

He closed his eyes tighter as his panic reached its height. He felt his body lunge forward, as darkness engulfed him. Darker than the night sky..

_He hit the ground, the sound was "Splat!," his blood went spurting high; His comrades they were hurt to say: "A hell of a way to die!"; He lay there rolling round in the welter of his gore. And he ain't gonna jump no more. Gory, gory, what a hell of a way to die.._

A white light began to dominate the black around his vision. Like a light at the end of a long tunnel. His whole being was drawled towards it. As much as he wanted to go home back to Temari, he walked toward the light. No pain.. No sorrow.. No regret..

_There was blood upon the risers, there were brains upon the chute; Intestines were a'dangling from his Paratrooper suit; He was a mess, they picked him up, and poured him from his boots. And he ain't gonna jump no more. Gory, gory, what a hell of a way to die.._

Naruto shot up from his bed, his body in a cold sweat. Panic was flowing through him as he looked around. It was a dream. Only then did it begin to fade. He tossed the blanket off of him and made his way to the bathroom. He flipped on the light, only to turn it back off because it was so bright. He stayed there standing in the bathroom trying to calm down.

That was no flashback. It was a dream. Only a dream. Shikamaru is fine, he told himself over and over again. He pulled out his phone and started to dial Temari's number but stopped when he realized it was three in the morning. He knew she wouldn't pick up so he sat down and waited, unable to go back to sleep. The looming dread he felt back at the river was back but this time it was closer.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Sakura<strong>_

The sun's rays were shining brightly into the room as she turned towards the bed trying to drown them out. Despite the warm rays of the sun, it was still freezing cold outside of her cocoon of blankets. Naruto had been right the temperature had dropped to below freezing last night. As soon as Temari got home she had passed out on the couch, probably wanting to surprise her. Sakura wrapped one of the blankets around her and sighed. It was probably best to go see her friend. After all, she wanted to hear all about her honeymoon.

She forced herself from the warmth of her bed and slowly made her way down the stairs. Checking the couch first she noticed Temari was still out cold. Her body involuntarily shivered. It was a lot colder down stairs, she mentally noted. She turned back around to slap Temari awake but stopped when her eyes passed the door. It was wide open.

Panic flew through her. She locked it last night, didn't she? Yes she did. Temari was here when she got here. Maybe Temari opened it, her mind reasoned.

She shook Temari awake, roughly, earning a groan from her.

"Temari wake up." She hissed her eyes never leaving the door.

"No...tired... Maybe tomorrow..." She heard her friend mutter incoherently.

"Temari get up NOW!" She yelled in her ear.

"What the f-!" Temari started to scream before Sakura's hand clasped around her mouth, silencing her.

"Did you go outside this morning?" Sakura asked quietly. "Nod for 'yes' and shake your head for 'no'." She said not removing her hand.

Temari shook her head 'no' and fear wove its way through Sakura's body. She pulled her cellphone from her pajama's pocket and pressed the call button on Naruto's name. She brought the phone to her ear and removed her hand from Temari's mouth.

"What is going on?" Temari asked a little too loud.

"I locked the door last night, its wide open now." I quietly told her.

She moved her mouth to say something but I cut her off when I heard the click when Naruto answered.

_"Corporal Uzu-" _She cut him off.

"Naruto!" She whispered urgently into the phone, ignoring Temari's raised eyebrow.

_"What is it?"_He asked his voice worried now.

"Can you come to Temari's house, _now_?" She managed to say.

_"Is everything ok? What's wrong Sakura?"_

"I don't know. I woke up and came down stairs, it was extremely cold so I looked at the front door and it was wide open." She said, her voice getting higher.

_"Temari didn't do it?"_He asked his voice serious now.

"No. I locked it last night.." She trailed off, still staring at the door.

_"I know. I'm on my way. Don't move or do anything until I get there. Understand?"_He said.

She heard him start the car in the background.

_"Listen to me very carefully, Sakura. Take Temari and go to a room with no windows and lock yourself in. Can you do that for me?"_

She nodded and murmured a 'yes' then pulled Temari to her downstairs bathroom. Temari had a serious look on her face as they locked the door. She watched Sakura carefully. Perhaps Shikamaru taught her what to do under these circumstances, Sakura wondered.

_"I'll be there soon. Don't make a sound."_He said into the phone.

"Why?" She asked him, already knowing the answer but not wanting to believe it.

_"I don't know if whoever broke in is still in the house and I'm not taking any chances.. I'm almost there. I'm in the neighborhood." _He added.

Neighborhood? He lives ten minutes anyway. And it only took him two minutes to get here.

As if reading her mind he added, _"I'm driving as fast as I can."_

She heard a car pull up in their driveway, but stayed where she was. On the phone she heard Naruto getting out of his car and a clicking sound. She disconnected the call and waited. And waited. And waited some more before she heard a voice call out.

"Sakura? Temari?"

"In here." Sakura said, unlocking the door as she recognized the voice.

As soon as she opened the door she came face to face with Naruto. He was still in his pajamas, his hair sticking out in all directions. His eyebrows were pulled together in consideration, like he was thinking very hard on something. But what drew her attention the most was the hand gun clenched tightly in his hand. She realized at once that was what the clicking was on his phone; him loading the gun.

"Are y'all ok?" He asked hesitantly.

"Yes." Temari replied before she could answer.

"I checked the house." He continued. "It's clear. I also checked the door. There was defiantly a break in. The lock is busted." His voice was all official as he continued. "Look around and see if anything is missing."

They nodded and did as he suggested, but he never let them out of his sight.

"Nothing of mine is gone." Temari said after checking the whole house.

"Same." Sakura added.

Naruto's eyebrows drew together in deep thought again.

"That's it. Pack your shit. You're moving in with me." He said after awhile.

"What why?" Sakura asked, confused.

"Whoever did it, took nothing. They made the break in obvious. The lock was smashed beyond repair. Whoever it was is trying to scare you or worse.. What I think and know from experience, they broke in only to show they can.." He trailed off.

"Now who would do that..?" Temari asked her eyes wide.

Sasuke was the first thing to pop up in Sakura's mind. Who else would know where Temari lived and that she was staying with her?

"Sasuke.." She mumbled getting Naruto and Temari's attention.

"That son of a bitch." Naruto snarled looked enraged. "I'll kill him." He threatened.

"No, Naruto." Sakura told him. "It might not even be him besides he is a detective remember? You can't kill a cop." She pleaded with him.

"Watch me." Naruto said a scary gleam in his eye, she had never seen before.

Is this his military side of him? The side he called a monster? He turned back around to face her but when they made eye contact, his eyes softened and his body relaxed a bit. The threatening gleam in his eyes gone.

"None the less you're moving in with me." He said with command. "Temari can come too." He added, smiling at her.

"I hope so." Temari rolled her eyes. "I thought y'all had forgotten about me, like I wasn't even in the room.." She trailed off looking between Naruto and Sakura.

Oh yea, Temari doesn't know about us, Sakura's mind mentally added. She blushed and looked to the side as Naruto scratched the back of his head. Still looking between Naruto and Sakura, her eyes lit up in realization.

"No! You both aren't..!" She trailed off.

"Not now Temari!" Sakura begged. "We'll talk about this later, ok?"

Temari nodded but gave her a look saying 'you're going to tell me everything later'.

A knock at the open door caused all three of them to turn sharply around. Sakura saw Naruto move to stand in front of them. She leaned over Naruto's figure to see a man with brown hair dressed in a military uniform standing at the door. He was an inch or two shorter than Naruto, but his eyes were harder. The man couldn't be more than thirty. His eyes flashed to Naruto's gun which was now in its hostler on Naruto's hip. But Naruto, seeing no threat smiled slightly. It was then see realized the stranger at the door was a Marine.

"Is Temari Nara here?" He asked, looking down at the paper in his hand to check the address or something.

Temari walked out from behind Naruto and Sakura to stand in front of the man.

"Yes. I am her." She said her voice a little off.

The uniformed man (Sakura realized was wearing the same thing Naruto wore when she met him) nodded and looked her in the eyes before continuing.

"I am Sergeant Major Jackson of the Marines." He started and continued in an official voice. "I am sorry to report that Sergeant Shikamaru Nara was killed in action yesterday in a paratrooping accident." He said, handing her a sealed envelope.

_The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing._

_- Edmund Burke_


	5. Semper Fi

**Unpredictable Fate**

**AN: Once again thanks to my editor, Love Is Only A Word. To my readers this chapter is a tear-jerker. If you're like me and nothing makes you cry, listen to the songs 'Amazing Grace', and 'Going Home' on the bagpipes when you get to the funeral part. It gives the allusion as if you're there.**

* * *

><p><strong>Unpredictable Fate<strong>

**Chapter Five: Semper Fi**

* * *

><p><em><strong>Naruto<strong>_

As if not believing the words of the stranger, Temari reached forward and took the envelope. She quickly tore it open and stared at the words on the paper. The silence in the area was almost unbearable. A loud scream came from Temari as Sakura jumped forward to catch Temari from collapsing onto herself. Her sobs echoed off the walls. Each scream of pain was like a bullet to his heart. The forgotten Marine at the door shifted uncomfortably as he kneeled down to say something to Temari.

Naruto stared off in no general direction. He hadn't moved from his spot. He couldn't.

His best friend and comrade was gone. The man who gave him the will to keep going, even when all seemed lost. The man who stood by his side and saved his ass countless times; couldn't even save himself..

_He was slowly walking through the ruins of a city. Buildings were completely destroyed and some were even still on fire. Bodies littered the ground as Shikamaru and him made their way into a building. The building was barely standing and it looked as if it would fall any second, but they walked in anyway. It was a simple mission, search and destroy._

_"It looks clear to me. I don't think anyone could have survived this." Naruto told Shikamaru, bringing his assault rifle to rest on his hip._

_Naruto had a black cloth covering his mouth and nose from the smoking air. It was a little hard to breathe through but it was better than smelling the decaying flesh._

_"If it was clear, why would they be sending us?" Shikamaru muttered sarcastically._

_Naruto stopped near the door of the open building._

_"You know you're such a pain in my ass." He told Shikamaru smirking._

_Shikamaru was about to respond but the sound of movement outside caused them both to shut up. Shikamaru nodded to him as Naruto moved forward outside, his gun aimed and his finger hovering above the trigger._

_"West, two o clock. Two tangos." Naruto whispered to Shikamaru._

_As he waited for Shikamaru to get into position, he kept the enemy soldiers within his sights. They were talking to one another, maybe to plan their next move. But something was off. They were talking a little bit too loud._

_He heard Shikamaru's crackling voice on the ear bud in his right ear, "In position, you take the first shot and I'll take the other."_

_"Understood." Naruto said into the microphone in front of his mouth._

_He positioned the tallest man in his sights and pulled the trigger. It was a head shot and as always it was perfect. Blood exploded out of the man's head as his body crumpled to the ground. A half of second later the other man fell to the ground from Shikamaru's bullet._

_He saw Shikamaru jump from the second story building and land next to him._

_"Show off." Naruto muttered as made his way to the dead bodies._

_Shikamaru followed at his heels and checked the open area behind them. Their guns raised checking for any signs of reinforcements. However, they found none._

_Naruto stopped a couple of feet away from the dead soldiers. With the barrel of his gun he poked the first body. Finding no response, he pushed it over so the dead man was laying with his stomach towards the sky. The next thing he saw sent panic through his body. He couldn't move, he could only stare at the wire poking out of the man's vest._

_"Get down!" Shikamaru screamed and tackled Naruto to the ground as the dead man exploded._

_Fire erupted all over the place as bits of hot metal sliced the side of his cheek. His weapon lay fallen at his feet as the flames died down from the explosion. Naruto couldn't help the scream that escaped him. He felt Shikamaru's hand clamp over his mouth the silence him, after all, they were sent in to do this quietly. Shikamaru was still on top of him, holding him down as he struggled. Naruto's legs were on fire, engulfed by the flames as Shikamaru tried to pat them out. It was the worst feeling Naruto had ever felt. It felt as if his skin had become liquid and was falling off his limbs. Like hot wax dripping off of a candle. The pain was so unbearable; he wanted to cut his legs off. Just give him the knife and he would do it himself. He was still screaming into Shikamaru's gloved hand._

_"Shh..." Shikamaru told him, his face was calm, but Naruto could see the panic in his eyes._

_He saw Shikamaru reach to pull his canteen off his side and he dumped the contents on Naruto's legs._

_The water felt like acid on his newly exposed flesh as he screamed louder into Shikamaru's hand. He could feel the cloth from his pant legs. They were embedded into his skin, burned into place._

_He felt himself try to sit up and grab ahold of his legs but Shikamaru held him into place. He screamed endless profanities at Shikamaru. 'Stop the pain' was the only thought running through his mind. He reached for his M1911 pistol on his hip. His hand clenched firmly around it as he yanked it out of its hostler. Anything to end this pain, his mind screamed as he tried to bring it to his head._

_"Stop!" Shikamaru told him firmly, knocking the gun out of his hand._

_"P-Please.." He moaned in pain through Shikamaru's hand._

_But Shikamaru only shook his head and reached for the first aid kit on his back. With his right hand he opened the bag and with his left hand he restrained Naruto from moving. He pulled out gauze like cloth and began to wrap it around his charred legs. As if the pain couldn't get any worse, it did. He felt himself drifting in and out of consciousness. He screamed and thrashed around trying to free himself but it was no use._

_"Shh.. It's going to be ok buddy. You'll survive." Shikamaru kept telling him. "You can't die on me now." He shook his head, looking at Naruto's legs as he finished wrapping them temporarily. "This is the second time I have saved your ass. You're such a pain in my ass." He joked remembering Naruto's comment from before.._

He had carried Naruto all the way back to base after that. He had even ripped part of his combat suit off and shoved it into Naruto's mouth to keep him quiet the entire way.

He felt the the tears start to build up into the corners of his eyes as he knelt down beside Temari. She was usually so strong, one of the reasons he knew Shikamaru married her. Always calling her a troublesome women.

He couldn't look at her tortured face but he offered his arms to her. She accepted, burying her face into his chest. Her sobs didn't let up. If anything they escalated. He was trained to do everything to survive, but yet he didn't know how to comfort her or how to handle the situation. He was used to, personally, suffering in silence. He glanced at Sakura for help, but either Sakura didn't understand his worried glances or just didn't know how to respond, she leaned down towards Temari. Sakura was whispering something in her ear and it took her a while to finally agree at whatever she was saying.

He stayed there for awhile before Sakura offered to take Temari to the couch and talk. As they exited to the room he turned to look at the man, who was returning to his feet. He appeared clearly bothered by the whole scene. His mind mentally chuckled, must not have taught him either.

"You're a Marine, aren't you?" The brown headed man said first.

"Yea. Used to be. I was discharged though, due to an injury." Naruto sighed, turning his head looking at the man. "Corporal Uzumaki." He said, offering his hand to the soldier.

"Sergeant Major Jackson." He smiled, but turned out more as a grimace. "Did you know Sergeant Nara?" He asked.

"Yea. Best friend in the military." He paused, and then continued. "You said he died in a paratrooping accident. How exactly?"

"Faulty parachute from what I was told. But then again whose chute is faulty now a day? We haven't had an accident like that since World War II." The Marine told him.

Naruto's eyebrows pulled together in consideration. In that dream or now more correctly, vision, who was the man who handed him the parachute? Shikamaru was smarter than anyone he knew, it just didn't make since. Shikamaru wasn't even a paratrooper for christ sake! In his dream, no vision, his reserve had failed also. He had to check. Just to make sure he wasn't crazy.

"What about his reserve chute?" Naruto asked.

"It failed, by the looks of it." The man said to him.

Naruto's eyes widened in shock. This shit wasn't possible. No one has visions of the future. It was just a dream. A mere coincidence. That's all. But he shook his head in frustration. Meeting Sakura again was no coincidence, how is this any different? He still felt that creeping dread feeling, like it was hanging over his head, waiting..

His fists tightened at his sides when his brain thought out a conclusion of its own. Shikamaru's death was no accident.

"It didn't strike you odd both chutes failed?" Naruto asked, dumbfounded.

"I do a lot of delivering messages and see a lot of weird stuff, so no. But if you want to know more, I'm sure the MPs can help." He added, writing down a name on a piece of paper and handing it to him.

He had to resist the urge to roll his eyes. He hated the Military Police. They were always trying to find something wrong with every soldier. They treated every Special Forces or special units like they were monsters.

Naruto took the paper, without opening it. Then he remembered he was supposed to help schedule a funeral. His insides curled at the thought. It wasn't the first time he lost comrades, but he really hoped it would be the last.

"Anyway, when will he be returning home?" Naruto asked referring to the day Shikamaru's body would arrive.

"Tomorrow. It will be closed casket." He added as Naruto bit back the hiss that was forming.

Jesus. He knew falling and hitting the ground was gory, but it being in a closed casket means the body is practicality unrecognizable.

"Thanks for everything, sir." Naruto smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes; it never did.

"Anytime, sorry about your Sergeant." Naruto nodded as the man walked back to his car and drove off.

While closing the door he glanced at the name on the paper the Sergeant Major had handed him.

"Well, I'll be damned." He mumbled.

_Military Police__  
><em>_Pvt. Inuzuka_

* * *

><p><em><strong>Sakura<strong>_

Temari had finally stopped crying. Well, they were broken sobs; she had no more tears left. Instead of going to the couch, they had gone upstairs to her bed. Her eyes were closed and it was then she noticed she was asleep. Sakura couldn't imagine the pain that her best friend was going through. Her eyes never left Temari's tortured face. Even in her sleep her face was twisted in pain.

What if she was in Temari's situation? And Naruto was the Marine that didn't come home? Her heart twisted in pain at the thought.

Knowing her friend would be asleep for awhile Sakura wandered out of the room and shut the door behind her. She turned face forward into a hard wall in her way.

"Sorry.." Naruto mumbled.

"How long were you standing there?" She asked not even, noticing him before.

"Awhile."

She grabbed his hand and led him back downstairs to the couch. As if he knew her intentions, he sat down on the couch pulling her into his arms. They didn't say anything for awhile, just stared into each other's eyes. When they were kids, she remembered, they always had some strange bond. He always knew what she was thinking and vise versa. They used to finish each other's sentences, she mentally chuckled.

Naruto smiled at the same moment and she couldn't hold back the laugh that escaped her.

"What?" He asked.

"You're doing it again." She accused.

"What?" He asked again, confused, but she knew he knew.

"Remember? Finishing my-"

"Sentences." He finished.

"Still annoying as ever."

"Hmm?" He replied into her hair.

"What did you find out?" She asked, knowing they couldn't stay in their little world forever.

"Shikamaru is coming home tomorrow. So the funeral will be held tomorrow."

"So soon?" Sakura asked.

"Yea. Apparently he is not the only one or they wouldn't send him so soon." He said.

She was about to say how her heart yearned for Temari; how she could'nt image what she was going through, but stopped when her mind threw a thought at her: _She had never seen Naruto wearing short sleeves or anything revealing much skin at that._

"Naruto why do you always wear long sleeves?" She asked, staring at him.

He waited awhile, his brow pulled together, "Because I rather you not see what hides under this fabric." He finally answers, pulling on his shirt.

She knew that wasn't the only reason. There had to be more.

He sighed as if knowing what she was already thinking, "I haven't looked in a mirror, yet. Not since my last accident. Sure, I've caught my reflection in the mirror before, but I haven't _really_ looked at the man the stares back at me."

"Naruto, I don't care what you look like. That is the last thing on my mind." She told him, sternly.

He smiled slightly, and shook his head in defeat, "I will show you one day, after I get the balls to see for myself. I just rather not see it through the reflection of your eyes."

Sakura knew he meant that in both ways: literally and emotionally. She would rather have him with scars than not have him at all.

"I'm glad you're out, Naruto. I couldn't imagine-" She sighed, unable to continue the sentence.

"I know.. Believe me I know." He waited awhile before grabbing her hand and bringing it up so they both can see.

She felt him intertwine his fingers through hers and gripped tightly, but to her it still was not tight enough. His hand was the complete opposite of hers. It was masculine, pale, with visibility of his veins along his hand up to his arm. He wore no jacket and she could see the scars running up and down his arm. Scars that held memories to his untold past and covered his body. But never once did she think it was disgusting or ugly; his scars made him into the way he is and nothing could change that. Her eyes traveled to stare at her own hand. Hers were smaller, almost being swallowed by his. Of course if he could think of a comparison, he would say light verses dark, but in her mind they were not so much different. And he will never be the monster he viewed himself as. He would just have to look in a mirror and see himself in the way she sees him. She smiled slightly, in time he will..

"What do you think Temari will want to do? I mean where does she want to go. She could always stay with us but I doubt that." Naruto said after awhile, his eyes never leaving their hands.

"Yea. Too many memories. Probably back to Germany." Sakura finished.

"Germany?"

"Shikamaru didn't tell you? Temari was born in Germany. Her brothers still live there." She sighed, upset over the idea of her friend living so far away.

"Well, maybe it's for the best." He sighed.

She felt him digging around in his pocket for something.

"You mind if I make a call?"

"Yes, Naruto, it will absolutely kill me if you make a call." She rolled her eyes.

Even with her body facing away from him, he punched her in the side slightly. Keeping one arm around her and the other one holding his cell phone to his ear he dialed a number and waited.

"Uh yes, Private Inuzuka." He said all business like.

She chuckled at the tone of his voice and stared straight in front of her but she could feel his mock glares he threw at her back.

Could it be so wrong she felt happy right now? All her life, she has felt something missing, like someone was already dead. Realization hit her at that exact moment; she never felt truly happy without Naruto in her life.

"Yes, this is Corporal Uzumaki... Don't tell me you forgot about me already." Naruto said into the phone, rolling his eyes at the person on the other end of the line.

She heard shouting through Naruto's phone.

"Yes. Yes. It's good to hear from you too." Naruto circled his right finger around his wrist and mouthed 'crazy'.

"Did you hear about Shikamaru?" He asked.

It was quiet for a long time while Naruto listened to his friend. His hand tightened around her waist for a moment and she looked up at him. His mouth was in a tight line and he looked angry.

"I thought as much. Any idea who?" He asked through his teeth.

"Why not-" He stopped. "No you can-" The voice on the other end kept interrupting him.

"Then who can make it?" He asked, shrugging his shoulders and relaxing more.

"Old man Nelms? You kidding me?" The man on the other end started laughing. "And Sergeant Hell?" Sakura felt the rising and falling of his chest as he laughed.

"What about Private Burns?" Silence. "He is a Lance Corporal now? Damn, where have I been?"

Naruto listened longer to him then sighed, "Yea, Burns always was the overachiever in the unit."

"Ok, yea, I'll call you back later." He hung up.

"Who was that?" Sakura asked, laughing at his annoyed expression, obvious at the person on the other in the line.

"Kiba Inuzuka, one of the most annoying men in my old unit." He laughed and shook his head. "He told me our old unit, Marine Team Delta, can make it to the funeral. We will be the pole bearers." He added, sorrowfully.

She hated to see that haunting look in his eyes. She could see the raging terminal inside him, which he tried so hard to hide from her. But he would never know that he couldn't, she could read him like an open book.

"What were their names?" Sakura asked, trying to get off the subject of Shikamaru.

"Well, there was the commander of my unit, 2nd Lieutenant Nelms. He was the oldest and was serious about everything. Sometimes we wondered if he ever smiled." Naruto shook his head.

His eyes were different now as he told the story. Almost like he was back in the past reliving the old days with his squad.

"Then we had Private Burns. He was a very good Marine, but easily irritable. Beach blonde hair couldn't miss him." Naruto added. "Then Private Anderson the kid of our unit. He was only eighteen when he joined." He rolled his eyes at the memory. "Last but not least was Sergeant Hell."

"Why did you call him that?" Sakura asked her eyes wide.

"Him? No you mean her." His eyebrow rose. "Her last name is really Heller, but I wasn't sure hell existed- well.. That was after I met her." He said looking at me. "She was one tough son of a bitch for a female Marine. If she could only hear me now, she would be saying how sexist I am."

He trailed off as Sakura glared at him.

"I'm not honestly."

"Right..."

"Anyway, that's everyone besides Kiba, Shikamaru, and I." He finished.

Sakura opened her mouth to say more but rustling upstairs caught her attention. Temari, she thought. Her eyes averted to look down as sorrow for her friend fell on her. She quickly noted Naruto's and her current position on the couch. Temari just lost her husband, seeing her and Naruto curled up like this will defiantly not help anyone. Sakura pushed herself out of Naruto's lap and sat on the far opposite side of the couch. Naruto didn't question her action, for it seemed he already knew.

She checked the clock on the mantel in front of her and was amazed how much time had passed. Their talking had felt short, but she noticed it was almost seven pm.

"Where does the time go?" She heard herself say out loud.

"Maybe to the store, because if it's as hungry as I am, it would be dead." Naruto said seriously.

Sakura just looked at him.

"What?" He asked, his hands held up.

"Nothing." She raised her eyebrow. "So what's the plan?"

"For what?" He asked.

"For tonight. Are we staying here or what?" Sakura trailed off, waiting for his answer.

He sighed, sinking back further into the couch, "As much as I don't want you or Temari staying here, I think it's best for one more night. She will want to be some place familiar. We can go back to my house after the...funeral." He managed out.

"Sakura..?" A voice asked, from upstairs.

It was Temari, Sakura knew with no doubt. She sounded a little bit better than she did this morning, but still she sounded broken. Poor girl, she thought mentally.

"Go to her. I'll sleep on the couch. See you in the morning." He smiled.

Sakura looked towards the front door at the broken lock.

Naruto reached forward and took Sakura's hand squeezing it, "Nothing will happen, I'm here. I will always be here." He added.

"I know. You always were." She told him.

Even when she was a little girl and believed he had disappeared from her life forever, some unknown force made her feel as part of him was always with her. It was amazing how fast and strongly your life can become intertwined with someone else's. And no matter what is coming your way, you know with him you can handle it. She sees the creeping fear he is trying to hide from her. He knows something is coming that is out of his and her control. But his fate was also hers now.

As some unspoken bond passed between their eyes, she knew he mirrored everything she thought of; and with that she made her way upstairs to Temari.

* * *

><p>It was the first pleasant and sunny day that Texas has seen in months. It was out of place with the sounds of crying and sorrow.<p>

It was the day of Sergeant Nara's funeral. Naruto had gone with the other men from his unit to get dressed and prepare to move the casket, leaving Sakura sitting besides Temari at the front row of plastic chairs. Gaara, her younger brother, sat on her other side and Kankuro, her older brother, next to Sakura. People had just started to come and sit down behind them. The table in front of them, which was to hold Shikamaru's casket was empty; the priest stood waiting beside it. It was supposed to be a full military funeral with the rifle guard and everything. The priest walked over to them and smiled apologetically.

"It's about to begin, Mrs. Nara." He told her.

Temari only nodded. She was physically here but her mind was somewhere else, like a mere body on auto pilot.

The sound of a car pulling up caused Sakura to look behind her. The hearse had arrived. A man held bagpipes stood by the side of the car, along with a man that had a marching drum. She saw Naruto and his unit march to stand in two lines near the trunk. They were in their formal Marine uniform. He was wearing his black buttoned up jacket. She stared at the two red arrows pointing upwards on his arms; to the gold striped navy pant legs he wore. It was then she noticed Naruto had cut his hair that matched the rest of the men. It no longer stuck out of his cap. She drew in a sharp breath. It was like he didn't look like a Marine before but this was all so..so- she didn't have words to describe it.

Naruto stood in the farthest position from the hearse, his back towards Sakura. Next to him stood Sergeant Hell. She only knew that because of her shorter build and hair in a bun. And to the left of her stood an older man with gold bars on his shoulders. Second Lieutenant Nelms, her mind reminded her. She couldn't see the other three, however.

Naruto took a stiff step forward out of the line and turned on his heel to face the trunk of the hearse. He took two more steps and stopped with his hand on the trunk handle. He opened it, and grabbed a hold of the casket, which had an American flag draped over the wood. He began to pull it out and the other soldiers grabbed onto the bar as he pulled it out. At that moment, the man with the bagpipes began to play 'Amazing Grace.' The unit began to march forward towards the awaiting crowd; their steps never off beat. Their feet looked as if one man was walking, in perfect unison. As the song hit another verse the man with the drum began to play, the beat matching the soldier's march. The sight was indescribable. She felt Temari's knees weakened and helped her sit down. The progression was now in front of them as the song ended.

"Guard..Halt!" Yelled the Lieutenant.

They stopped at the same exact time and slowly placed the casket onto the table.

"Attention!" He called again as they immediately straightened their backs to a stiff position.

"Guard, salute!" He yelled and they brought their right hand to their forehead in salute.

The rifle guard began to fire off four rounds to the right of them, but Sakura was focused on Naruto. His back was to her but she could see the slight shaking of him.

"Guard...Ready!" The Lieutenant yelled and they slowly dropped their hands, only to be curled in fists at their sides.

The Lieutenant yelled again and they picked up the flag off of the casket. He yelled and each time he did they took a step to the right, only stopping when the flag was clear of the casket. They brought the sides together. Four of them let go of the flag as they handed it off to two of the Marines. One was Sergeant Hell and the other was a young man. He looked younger than all of them.

The man with the bagpipes began to play 'Going Home' and they started to fold the flag. At the same time the Lieutenant broke away from the line to reach down in a marble bowl beside the casket. He pulled out a single red rose and placed it on Shikamaru's casket. He saluted then turned and walked away from the casket. As soon as he left another man broke the line and bent down to pick up a rose and place it on his casket. This man looked close to tears as he saluted quickly and then left.

Naruto was the next to break the line. He stiffly walked forward and bent down to grab a red rose. Unlike the others he clenched the stem of the rose tightly in his white-gloved hand. He walked to the back of the casket to where his back was no longer facing the crowd. He slowly placed the rose on the casket.

Sakura couldn't see his eyes. They were hidden under his cap. Finally letting go of the rose he brought his hand up in a salute looking up for the first time. The sight made Sakura take in a huge breath of air, as so did some of the others in the crowd.

His eyes were dark. Tears had fallen down his face along his cheekbones. His jaw was clenched tightly. But his eyes were not what scared her. His white gloved hand that held the rose was stained with red. He had gripped the rose so tightly the thorns from the rose had torn his hand up. Dropping his blood stained hand back down to his side slowly, he walked off. Sakura stared off after him in shock. His haunted gaze had affected her horribly. She couldn't imagine the pain he was going through and her heart hurt knowing she couldn't take it away.

A man bending down in front of Temari brought her back to the real world. Temari was crying as the Marine said a few words to her and handed her a folded up flag. She took it, pulling it close to her chest, as if it was the only thing keeping her from falling apart. The Marine stood straight up saluted her then turned on heel to walk away with the others. The music from bagpipes stopped and the preacher began to speak.

"Welcome friends and family of Sergeant Shikamaru Nara." He started.

Sakura leaned over to Temari's oldest brother on her left.

"I'll be back. Can you take over?" She asked, referring to watching over Temari.

He nodded once and Sakura stood up and quietly walked to the back of the rows of chairs. She wandered past rows and rows of white tombstones. It was overcast; the sun poking out slightly.

She didn't know where she was going. She just went where her feet took her. Eventually, she could not hear the words of the preacher. She stopped when she reached a small hill. And as if fate led her through, her path lead her to a Marine standing before her but he wasn't alone.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Naruto<strong>_

As years go by you begin to realize some things were not as important as you made them out to be. That the little things suddenly became big things.

He knew there was always a chance he would die at war, but it never crossed his mind what it would leave behind. Death was easy, almost peaceful. In any way you die, it's better than living. The living is left with only the memory of the dead. And for a man to be murdered while protecting his country was beyond cowardly.

He was trained to notice the smaller details. Ones that the mind could easily overlook. The military can go on and say it was a training accident but he knew better. It was just another cover up for some military fuck up.

His hands clenched in anger just thinking about it. He quickly unclenched them when he felt a dull pain. Right.. He remembered, glancing down at his bloody white glove. Another scar that would add to his collection. He was already messed up beyond repair, so why did it matter now? He shook his head, annoyed at himself for ruining a pair of good gloves.

"Corporal Uzumaki?" A voice asked from behind him with full authority.

He turned on his heel to salute whoever was behind him. As he brought his stained hand to his forehead, he took in the man's appearance. He was as old as Naruto was, but his three arrows with a dip patch told Naruto that this man was a Staff Sergeant. He wore a white helmet with the capital letters of 'MP'.

_"What does the Military Police want with me?"_ His mind asked him, annoyed with their very presence.

The MP saluted him back and walked forward closing the distance between him and Naruto. Naruto was immediately on edge. The man was stiff and his eyes seemed anxious, like he was preparing for a fire fight with an enemy soldier.

Movement in his peripheral vision caused him to glance to his side. Another MP stood, farther off than the one before him but close enough to worry Naruto about the situation.

"Yes..?" He question cautiously.

He didn't expect the MP's reaction in front of him. It caught him off guard as the MP lunged forward to grab Naruto's arm. The insulting man's hand grabbed onto Naruto hurt left shoulder, where the bullet had gone through. The spot was burning as the MP's hand tightened around his arm as he tried to force Naruto to the ground.

Naruto knew he was a superior officer but his trained instincts jumped to conclusions. As the MP tried to force him down, he grabbed the man's arm that was holding him and twisted it back, breaking the man's hold. With his left hand Naruto forced the MP onto the ground. His right hand restraining the MP's arms. Fulling knowing he was fighting a losing fight, Naruto held the man down and waited for the other MP to tackle him to the ground. He had no idea what they wanted, but he was extremely pissed with the whole situation. Did they have to do this at a funeral?

As planned he felt the force of the other MP tackling him to the ground. His face slammed into the dirt as his white cap flew off his head to land beside him. Obviously, pissed that Naruto had fought back, the other MP's fist collided with his face. Naruto felt blood spray from his nose, but it wasn't hard enough to break it. Naruto brought his hand up to wipe his face, but the enraged man slapped it back down. The MP forced him onto his stomach while he was on top of him. Naruto felt more weight as the other man he fought against helped to bring Naruto's hands around behind his back. Blood continued to run down from his nose and onto the dirt. He didn't struggle or try to wipe his face again. With his luck, they'll knock his ass out. Naruto was surprised when he felt the cold metal of handcuffs clamp around his wrists as he glared at the man on top of him.

"Corporal Naruto Uzumaki you are under military arrest for the murder of Sergeant Shikamaru Nara." He yelled at him forcing Naruto closer into the ground.

What the fuck? His mind screamed at him. How could he even-?

He rose his head up about to scream profanities at the man for even to dare accuse him of murdering his best friend, but stopped when he saw that the MPs were not the only ones here. A lone women stood watching the whole scene and his heart clenched as he panicked when he thought of how this might look to her. Sakura had saw everything..

_If you're not going to stand behind a Marine, then go ahead and stand in front of him.__  
><em>_- Unknown_


	6. Read Between the Lines

**Unpredictable Fate**

**AN: Thank you for your support of this story.**

* * *

><p><strong>Unpredictable Fate<strong>

**Chapter Six: Read Between the Lines**

* * *

><p><em><strong>Naruto<strong>_

It's funny how you can feel so much and not say a word. He was screaming inside himself, pleading with himself to say something to her. He wanted to tell her so much. Everything he had done in his past and how she brought back the side of him he once thought dead. But he didn't. He never did.

"You have the right to remain silent; anything you say can be used against you in the court of law. You have the right to an attorney.." The MP rumbled on.

Naruto eyes never left hers, simple as that. Even when they forced him to his feet, he never broke the contact. He didn't even struggle when they began to push him past Sakura. He was tired of fighting as his shoulders sagged. He dropped his gaze from her just as they pushed him past.

The one thing in his life he cared to live for was just ripped out in front of his eyes. She gave him the light he so desperately craved. And his past came back to fuck it all up. He had become the monster he tried to keep her from. No, scratch that, he was always a monster. Maybe this is for the best.. Even if he was falsely accused, it was the perfect crime.

He knew he looked guilty by not struggling and trying to tell his side, but he didn't have it in him anymore to fight. He had done it all his life and wanted it to stop. He could feel Sakura's gaze follow him as the military police pushed him along.

He was at least grateful that they strayed away from the funeral and Shikamaru's family. That was the last thing he needed, to see their accusing stares and looks of hatred. But of course luck was never on his side. The outline of a Marine was a few meters away from his little convoy. His back was to them but just as they passed he turned around. Shit... Anderson..

"Hey! What the hell?" Yelled Private Anderson, racing up to intercept the group. "What the hell did you do to the Corporal?" He yelled, trying to pull one of the MPs away from Naruto.

The MP just roughly shoved Anderson off and tried to continue their convoy along. But Anderson was not about to let him go. He jumped on top of the MP that was not holding Naruto, slamming him into the ground. Naruto watched eyes wide; pondering why in the hell the kid would do that?

Just as Naruto feared the kid's stunt caused the rest of his old unit to appear. All of which looked pissed to see the military police; well besides Kiba. He looked like he wanted to crawl into a hole. Anderson crawled off the man to stand beside the rest of the Marines. The formed a single line and looked menacing with their shoulders straighten out, their eyes narrowed.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" Sergeant Hell bounded up to back Anderson.

"What are you taking him for?" Burns asked the only one who was keeping calm.

"Classified." He heard the MP say, standing up from the ground, livid.

Of course, the military covering its ass. They wouldn't talk. Naruto was grateful for at least one of their rules. It was like a mini turf war. His comrades eager to defend him. It reminded him of the Marine Corps motto, Semper Fi, meaning always faithful. And sure as hell they would live up to it.

Arguing erupted from both sides along with shoving and pushing. He heard curse words fly out of everyone mouths. Mostly threats from his Delta team.

"Are you threatening a superior officer?" The MP asked, glaring at Sergeant Hell.

"It's no threat. It's a fucking promise." She yelled back at him.

The officer of the two MPs kept him tight in his hands throughout the entire ordeal. Naruto rolled his eyes, why would he even run away?

"Stand down, soldier!" One of the MPs was yelling at Anderson.

Naruto sighed. Anderson was always rushing into shit. And Sergeant Hell was always eager for her next fight. This is going to get bad before it gets better..

"Enough!" Yelled a strong voice that caused everyone to shut up. "Do I have to remind you we are at a funeral? If I had any since I'd make all of you drop to the ground and give me fifty!"

Second Lieutenant Nelms marched up glaring at the scene in front of him, his white military cap pulled right down over his eyes. Nelms looked more like a Drill Sergeant than a Lieutenant. He took one glance at Naruto's face and turned to one of the MPs.

"Staff Sergeant what is the meaning of this?" He demanded.

"Classified, sir." He responded.

"Bullshit. You tell me now." Nelms commanded.

All this fighting and yelling, drew everyone's attention as he saw Temari and her brothers step out from under the tent to watch the scene. That's when he panicked.

The MP smirked when he followed Naruto's line of sight then answered, "Corporal Naruto Uzumaki is under military arrest for murder, sir."

Everyone's eyes widened at his statement. Arguing had ceased and it was as if the whole world had gone silent. _Please..._ His mind begged to the MP. _Don't say who.._

Temari and her brothers have gotten closer to their group. Temari's eyes red from crying and her brothers looked well...pissed.

The MP noticed their advanced and smiled widely.

He called out loudly, like he was fucking proud, "For first degree murder of Sergeant Shikamaru Nara, sir."

That sick bastard.

He heard gasps of shock. He did the only thing he could do, he stared at Temari._ I didn't do anything. I was with you and Sakura the whole time. _He tried to send his message through his eyes. But she only looked away and started to cry, she believed the MP..

She leaned on her brother, crying into his shoulder. The next thing he saw was Gaara swiftly approach him. The two MPs warned him to stay away, but he knew they wouldn't do anything if he attacked him. His instants tried to react to defend himself, but his hands were restrained behind his back. Then a thought occurred to him, maybe he hit him hard enough, it will kill him.. No impossible. Maybe he deserved this..? He fumed with frustration. If he didn't kill Shikamaru, then why is he wanting someone to hurt him like he was guiltily? His conscious answered that question for him. Because you are guiltily. If you were with Shikamaru, you could have prevented the whole thing. If you-

His thoughts were cut off immediately once he felt a force slam into the right side of his face. His head jerked to the side, but before he could recover he felt the same force into the pit of his stomach. His knees buckled, but the MP kept him standing. The pain was bearable, for now. He had been through worse. Naruto felt another trickle of blood slide down out of the corner of his mouth. Through his half closed eyes he saw Gaara getting ready to punch him again but a hand on his shoulder stopped him.

"Please stop." A heavenly voice said.

It wasn't the military police, nor his fellow comrades, that called out to save him.

Retracting his fist back to his side Gaara did in fact stop. He walked stiffly away without a second glance. Naruto looked up slowly to see the owner of the voice, to stop when he saw it was Sakura. She looked like she was in pain. Her eyes were red like she had been crying, panic clearly in them. She looked so broken, and it killed him to see her like that. It killed him to know he was the cause of all of it. Then in her hand, she was fucking holding his white cap like it was the most important thing to her.

The first words he mumbled that came out of his mouth, "I'm a monster.."

He didn't know who all heard it. He didn't care. He believed his very words. He killed people physically and by the looks of it, he can kill them emotionally too. Maybe, just maybe, he should plead guilty. Tear himself out of her life before he did anymore damage. For some reason, the idea sounded great. It was perfect. No one believed him anyway. So like the monster he was, he just fucking smiled, so wickedly it even scared him.

The military police pushed him forward, signaling they were ready to continue to their car, but a voice stopped their advance.

"Bullshit! Naruto would never do that! You're just trying to cover up a military fuck up!" A voice exploded as his unlikely saver yelled. It was Kiba.

His voice was like rallying up a group for a fight.

"Yea. Naruto would never do something like that." Anderson said backing him up.

The same lively defense of his old team started up again.

Sergeant Hell smiled wildly, "Oh now you've done it."

The whole old Delta squad began to yell at the Military Police, even Nelms. The MP wasn't smirking anymore; he looked scared out of his mind.

Naruto smiled slightly, his lips forming a tight line. Even through the bleakest moments his unit will still back up him. Even when he was accused of killing one of their own. A new feeling came upon him. At that moment he began to felt respect for his old comrades. It started to eat away the guilt his soul held. But like many things, it wasn't enough to get rid of it.

"Let's go, Corporal." The MP muttered in his ear.

While the other MP stayed behind and kept the others from following Naruto, the man holding him brought him to the back of a black car. The screams of arguing of protest soon died down. He opened the door for him and helped him get in.

"Watch your head." He murmured and slammed the door behind him.

He saw the other MP who stayed behind jog up and jump into the passenger's side.

"Let's get the hell out of here." He yelled, his eyes wide.

The car started as the vehicle backed up. Naruto didn't want to look out the window but something unknown to him made him. He expected to saw his old Delta squad and Sakura watching the car drive off, but he didn't. He glanced to the side doing a double-take as surprise flowed through him. Smirking, by a black mustang was stood a man with raven hair. His hair was covering his eyes so Naruto couldn't see who he was. The man's lips pulled back in a sickening smile as he stepped inside his car. Naruto blinked and the man and the car were gone. It could not have been a figment of his imagination, he just knew it.

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><p>Thirty minutes. No, maybe an hour? He shook his head annoyed. Naruto had been waiting in this interrogation room for what seemed like forever. It was plain and boring. It already felt like he was in a prison cell. The clock's hand seemed to move twice as slow as usually. Each click louder than the first in Naruto's head. His hands were in front of him, still hand-cuffed as he played with his fingers.<p>

His mind flickered through his thoughts. Mostly of Sakura and what she was doing this second. He wondered if she has already run away from him before its too late.

Sighing, he stared down at his hands. His nose had stopped bleeding and they had removed his gloves and gave him some gauze to wrap the wound. He didn't know why they bothered, it had already stopped bleeding. He could now see his exposed, bare hands. A scar ran down parallel from his thumb to his wrist. From getting caught in barbed wire, his mind reminded him. Each scar, a different memory. None of which he was proud of. He thought back of the time when Sakura's hand was in his. So pure, so innocent, perfect in a way. Nothing he could compare or get even close to.

His emotions have calmed down quite a bit since his arrest. Part of him wanted to plead guilty still, just so Sakura didn't have to be stuck with his fucked up ass. This part was less selfish and more rational. While the monster side of him reasoned that he could never do such a thing. That it would hurt Sakura as well as him. It's a shame when the monster is more dominate.

Another fifteen minutes pass by. More time wasted all in the effort to break him. He mentally rolled his eyes. Too bad he was a patient person. All this time they were giving him was giving him time to think and reflect on his actions up to this point. He finally decided to plead his case and point out the obvious reasons why he couldn't he killed Shikamaru. He also decided that it was in Sakura and his best interest if he allowed her to choose. If she needed him, he would be there, but if not, it will be as if he never existed.

He was considering of standing up to walk about the room, when he heard footsteps. The door of the room opened as his eyes flickered to it briefly. A man dressed in a formal police military outfit strolled in. He single bar upon his shoulders told him this man was a First Lieutenant. He held a vanilla envelope tightly in his left hand. The man wasn't one of the MPs from before and he was older from the looks of his gray hair. Without a word, he pulled the chair, opposite from Naruto, and sat in it. He just stared at Naruto. And stared. And stared. As the minutes ticked by, Naruto began to question the MP's sanity. He raised his eyebrow slightly at the man across from him, who was still just staring.

"You waved your right to have an attorney present." He said more like a statement then a question.

Naruto only nodded. He knew he was innocent and he could easily prove it. There was no need to have someone represent him.

The man across from him didn't appear surprised as he scooted his chair back. The MP rose to his feet and pulled out sheets of paper from his envelope. He placed three pictures in front of Naruto. All of Shikamaru's mangled corpse from different angles. Naruto didn't even recognize the man in the photos before him. Sadness flowed through him as his eyes pulled back unable to look anymore.

"So, tell me how a decorated soldier can manage to kill his comrade in the heat of battle?" The MP asked, skeptically.

Naruto narrowed his eyes, looking up at him.

"Why would you murder a man who has fought alongside of you for most, no, all of your military career." He questioned.

"I did not kill Shikamaru." Naruto said through his teeth, watching the man in front of him.

"Pretty clever way, too." The MP said, pulling back from Naruto to walk to a corner of the room.

"I..did..not..kill..Shikamaru." Naruto said slower, glaring at the man.

"It was your speciality, was it not?" He said asking himself more than he was asking Naruto.

"I did not kill Sergeant Shikamaru Nara." Naruto repeated, his patience wearing thin.

The MP crossed the room back to Naruto, "Are soldiers these days have to not only worry about the enemy in front of them but also the one behind them?" He asked as if a rhetorical question.

"Look here, you son of a bitch. Does it even look like I would be able to do that? Can you explain to me how could I be in two different places at once?" Naruto growled, anger rolling off him.

"I'm asking the questions here." He yelled, the he pulled a one of the photos up an pointed at it, "Are you so fucked up to kill one of your own teammates?"

"I didn't-!" Naruto started but was cut off.

"After returning from his honeymoon, Sergeant Nara boarded a plane scheduled to be part of a reinforcement unit. At exactly 0200 he was given a faulty parachute to where he fell to his death. Both the main chute was faulty and the reserve chute. Both cables were cut and buckles were smashed beyond repair." The man said, adding another piece of paper. This paper was of the information on his death and case. It showed the parachute, with dots of blood on it.

"I was not even on that plane. I'm not even in the military anymore. I left a while back with an honorable discharge!" Naruto snarled, pissed with this man already.

He ignored Naruto's comment and continued, "Evidence lead us to believe Corporal Uzumaki was responsible for the murder." His eyes flickered to the paper he was reading, "Corporal Uzumaki was discharged due to a injury in the left arm. Patient also showed signs of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder." He said, finishing reading his hospital record and adding both papers to the ones in front of him.

"Go to hell." He murmured, but the MP continued on, even if he heard Naruto or not.

"Every soldier has something they wish to stay hidden, Naruto. So your record interested us. So we looked up your operations record. Many dangerous missions you have gone on." He noted out loud. "Let's pick one at random." He said looking at the paper. "Oh, here's one. Operation 024-Code Name: Big Brother."

At the near mention of the name he felt reality twist to where he was no longer in that horrid room..

_The chopper's rotor wings were the only sound he heard. It was midday as Naruto watched the plains of grass pass by under him. He could see dots of civilians farming the land. They never looked up at the choppers as they passed by though. Must be used to all the military activity, after all this place was a third world country._

_The men were sitting their legs dangling over the side of the chopper. Six men sat on each side while Lieutenant Nelms was next to the chopper pilot._

_"Who will be assisting us this time, Lieutenant?" Private Anderson yelled over the defending roar._

_Anderson was seating in the middle of Naruto and Sergeant Heller. The kid's eyes were wide open, excited as he waited for the commander to reply. Over to his left Sergeant Hell had her eyes closed, most likely trying to relax before chaos._

_"Bravo Squad. Marine Division Four is pinned down and is in need of assistance." He called out to the men._

_"They should be interesting company." He heard Sergeant Hell mutter and Naruto smiled at her comment._

_He overheard a conversation between Inuzuka and Nara. Kiba chuckled and replied to Shikamaru's comment, "You know you're addicted when you have a callous on your trigger finger."_

_Naruto chuckled lightly and stared down at his lap._

_They were wearing a greenish camo color. Naruto personally thought the tan camo was better looking but this was no desert so it would do more bad than good. His assault rifle was resting on his lap and his combat helmet was already strapped down. He was already ready to go. Pushing his sun glasses up closer on the bridge of his nose, he thought about how hot this area will be. It was only their Delta Team's third mission together._

_He felt the chopper begin to turn as they flew over burning barns and fields. Smoke was waving about the plains in the wind. He could see the outlines of some bodies._

_"Alright men, lock and load. We are almost there." They all nodded, serious expressions plastered on their faces. "The LZ (Landing Zone) is three hundred meters away from the red zone. So keep your heads down!" He ordered._

_"Yes, sir." They responded and waited for the chopper as it began it's slow descend._

_"You ready for this Texas?" Sergeant Hell called out to him, smirking._

_"I really wish you wouldn't call me that." Naruto yelled back, a smile forming on his face._

_"I really wish we were back home but you don't see that happening." She rolled her eyes at him._

_"Understood, Sergeant Hell." Naruto yelled back, smirking._

_He laughed when she chose to ignore him and his remark._

_"Here we go! Jump and roll!" The Lieutenant called out as the helicopter lowered until it was hovering a few feet from the ground._

_"Go! Go! Go!" Nelms ordered as the soldiers began to jump out of the chopper._

_As soon as Naruto's feet touch the ground, he ducked his head and crumbled to the ground. He laid there as he felt another body land beside him. He could hear the distant roar of bullets, but luckily, none of which were aimed at their squad. The chopper rose up again and turned back the way they came._

_"Bravo Squad is two clicks to the west of us. Move forward and reinforce Division Four." Lieutenant Nelms yelled as the men jumped to their feet and quickly made their way to the current front line._

_As they arrived they saw just how desperately Division Four needed their help. Men littered the ground moaning in pain from bullet holes through their abdomens. Men were shouting at one another. The battlefield was complete chaos. And suddenly, being a Marine didn't sound so cool anymore. This was real and it was happening now._

_"I need a medic!" He heard a man shout._

_"Carter was our last one!" A man answered, firing more rounds._

_"Where is he?" The man yelled, putting pressure on a man's abdomen, the hurt man's blood seeping through his hands._

_"Dead." He yelled, reloading his gun._

_Naruto ran over to the man, kneeling beside him._

_"Sir, is there any way I can help?" Naruto yelled over the noise._

_"Yes...Corporal." He said, looking Naruto over. "We are about to retreat a few clicks back, regroup, than out flank the enemy. I need you to carry Private Reardon back with us. I'll cover you!"_

_"Grenade!" He heard a man yell in the distance, followed by an explosion that threw dust and dirt in Naruto's face._

_Naruto looked back over at the injured man. Reardon's eyes were half open as he stared past Naruto. This man was young, eighteen maybe. Too young to be out here in the line between life and death._

_Naruto held out his hand to the man. The injured man pulled his lips back in a tight line and held out his arm for Naruto to use to help pick him up. Naruto nodded the slung his gun over his shoulder as he grabbed the man's hand firmly in his._

_"Ready?" Naruto asked, over the hail of bullets._

_"Bring me home, sir." The man simply replied._

_It was a weird thing to say at that moment. It confused Naruto but he brushed it off. As he pulled the man by his hand, Naruto used his other hand the grab ahold of his combat vest and left him up over his shoulder. He let of the man's hand and used his left hand to hold the man up over his back. He started to walk back to the new ronde vu area._

_"Pop smoke! We're moving back!" A man yelled through all the chaos._

_Explosions went off. Dirt showered above them. It was as if everything was in slow motion. He saw soldiers running past him. Some stayed and covered their comrades. Others booked it back as fast as they could. Naruto walked slowly with the weight of the soldier on his back. He couldn't hear a damn thing, just the sound of gunfire. With each step the man seemed to get heavier._

_"Uzumaki, pick up those feet!" Shikamaru yelled over the popping of bullets._

_Naruto only grumbled in response as he tried to walk faster. White smoke began to fill the whole clearing and he couldn't see two feet in front of him. A soldier ran past him and waved him to follow. When Naruto finally made cover behind a barn, only then did he stop. He pulled the soldier off his back and laid him with his back against the wall. But the man's eyes were closed. Naruto shook the man but he was unresponsive. His head hung to the side, limp. With shaking hands, he put two fingers to the man's pulmonary artery. No pulse. He had been carrying a dead man.._

That was the day Naruto lost part of himself. Part of him was still back there by that barn where that soldier laid. He remembered the feeling clearly and how he harden up and became a shell of what he once was..

"...five casualties of US soldiers. All bodies were recovered. Civilian casualties were minimal." He finished reading the report.

He turned toward Naruto, his eyes sharp and questioning.

"A lot of death before your eyes, Corporal. Was it enough for you to feel nothing about life? As you killed men, watched their life fade from their eyes, did part of you also die? The humane part?" He asked.

Images of men flickered through Naruto's brain. Ones he killed. Others he slaughtered. It was too much at once. Like his whole life's regret brought down on his shoulders at once.

"You know nothing of what I have been through!" Naruto yelled, his eyes wide with pain and anger. "Not a day goes by where I don't think about what I have done. All I have done for my country. It haunts me in my sleep, in my dreams, even when I'm awake. To watch a man die as he prays to God.." He stopped his heart clenching in pain. "...that he wants to be in paradise. A world with no pain." Naruto shook his head. "I don't feel proud for what I do or what I did. But I will not have you fucking judge me."

"No one is judging you, Naruto. I'm stating facts and asking you questions." He said.

"Bullshit. You walk in here and do this to every soldier. Not caring what they been through. You have your head up your ass, so get off your high horse and show me the evidence you have against me." Naruto snarled, his body relaxing slightly.

The MP narrowed his eyes but complied, "Your finger print was found at the scene of the crime."

Naruto sighed in annoyance, "I know all your fucking tricks, just tell me the whole thing."

"It was a parcel finger print on Sergeant Nara's dogs tags." The MP finished.

"Are you kidding me? You have no evidence. That is not even enough to hold me over." Naruto said, angrily.

Why would they even go to the trouble if they knew I could just get out with their lack of evidence?

"We have to investigate every lead, Corporal." He replied, defending himself.

"Did you bother to look up my records, no. My allbi checks out." Naruto said, leaning back in his chair.

The MP sat back down, "We got an anonymous tip from a landline." He replied, curtly.

Naruto knew that the MP knew he couldn't kept him here any longer. In fact, the MP seemed as confused as him. The MP leaned forward and undid the hand-cuffs on his hands. He picked the metal cuffs up and put them into his pocket. Naruto rubbed the raw flesh where the metal had once sat, annoyed at how tight they were.

"It was military precautions. We were just trying to see if you would admit to it. No harm done, Corporal?" He asked.

Naruto glared at him, "No. I'll fix everything." He said sarcastically. "I'll just walk up to Nara's wife and say 'Sorry just a misunderstanding'."

"It was protocal call. You were not the only one called in." He said, sounding some what apologetic.

"Were all the others called in beat up once arrested?" Naruto asked, his voice hard.

"That was only because you resisted arrest, Corporal." The man replied, calmly. "It's seems we were played. And that tip was bogus." He sighed and pushed his chair back. "You are free to go when ever you want, Corporal."

"Did you trace the call?" Naruto asked, rubbing his temples together, trying to figuring out why he even was a suspect.

"Yes, but he hung up before we could get an a exact fix on the area. In the 024 region." The MP replied.

Why does that sound familiar, he asked himself. He repeated the name over and over in his head. It was on the tip of his tongue. He glanced up at the clock, thinking to himself. Address? No. Social Security? No. At that moment his blood ran cold as he realized he did know that area.

"The caller also called pretty earlier in the morning.." The MP was saying but Naruto wasn't listening to him.

_Notice the little things_, his mind told him. Temari's house is in that region, he thought frantically. Her door was broken in, the locked smashed to pieces. _Notice the little things.._ His eyes quickly glanced at the case report in front of him. His eyes scanned over the highlighted words, _"Both cables were cut and buckles were smashed beyond repair.."_His eyes widened even more at the simaliaries. Both were smashed beyond repair, therefore the same person. It's all connected. The arrest, the break-in, the murder..

"The call came in the morning?" Naruto asked his voice higher than usual as the MP nodded.

Enough time to break in, use the phone and leave. It was clever, but why go to all the trouble if Naruto could easily get off of jail? Why break in? Why leave clues so obvious that he could figure out?

Naruto's heart seemed to flat line as he looked at the man across from him in horror.

Whoever did it knew of Sakura and him. He knew of Shikamaru and Naruto's past. He had experience and a source for knowledge of military operations. He knew how the military police would respond to the little evidence and he knew of the protocol. Whoever was doing this wanting Naruto to piece together the clues. He wanted Sakura away from Naruto for a small amount of time. He was stalling Naruto. This was all just to give this guy time..

Naruto shoved himself out of his chair, knocking it over on the ground.

"I'm out of time." He muttered, his eyes staring off.

He pushed past the MP and headed straight for the door, his heart pounding crazily.

"What's wrong-" He heard the MP yell as Naruto rushed out the door.

Fear clouded his eyes, not for him, but for Sakura. Never in his whole life had he'd been this scared. Not in the heat of battle, not even when he was faced with death. He silently prayed for some invisible force to help him. That she didn't deserve this. Not like this, his mind begged him.

He shoved past soldiers looking for an exit. They were yelling at him but he didn't hear it. Then light a oasis in the middle of a desert, he saw the damn front door. Before he made it out the building door, Naruto ran past a fully armed military officer. He was just getting in from duty and his side arm hostler was unhooked.

He knew he wasn't thinking clearly. But at this moment, at this time, it didn't matter. He had to do everything in his power to save her.

As he ran by, his left hand grabbed a hold of the man's side arm. He pulled the gun from the hostler before the man could even comprehend Naruto had took his weapon. The man made a move to stop Naruto but by the time he turned around, Naruto was already out the door his hand tightly wrapped around the gun. His eyebrows were pulled together with anger and panic as he finger hovered above the trigger.

He would not lose her. He would'nt lose another person he loved. He could _not_ lose another person he loved. Not again.


	7. The Beginning's End

**Unpredictable Fate**

**AN: Here we go, last chapter. I thank all of you for reading this story. The official song to this story is "I Will Remember You", by Sarah McLachlan.. Dedicated to my good friend, MissUndescribablexx.**

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><p><strong>Unpredictable Fate<strong>

**Chapter Seven: The Beginning's End**

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><p><em><strong>Naruto<strong>_

His body screamed in protest. His muscles burned, his eyes blurred, but he didn't stop. His head and heart, for once working together, edged him on to his destination. One foot in front of the other, he got closer and closer. Faster. And faster.

He knew where that son of a bitch would be.

Pedestrians gave him weird looks as he flew past them. His boots clipping loudly on the ground as he turned a corner. Cars honked loudly as he jumped in front of them but nothing would stop him. Nothing. Not even death.

His chest rose and fell in rapid motion as he ran. His breathing coming out in shaky breathes. It had been awhile since he ran endlessly for miles. His uniform clung to his body as he ran. His feet carried him onward. He mentally thanked God the military police station was near his house.

He finally reached the end of his street where his house was. He slowed down slightly, not wanting to give away his position. And like he predicted he saw a black mustang sitting out in front of his house.

He brought the gun in his clenched hand up to eye level. Naruto pushed the eject button on the gun's cartridge. Eight rounds, that's more than enough he thought hastily. He slammed the magazine back in the gun and cocked it. With both hands wrapped around the gun handle he slowly approached the door. He crossed the lawn in four quick strides and threw himself against the side of the house by the window. His breathing came out rough, so he tried to calm himself.

Stay cool and focused, he reminded himself. You've been doing this your whole life. One mistake can mean death for both Sakura and you. Images of what he might be doing to her flashed through his mind. He hissed in anger. Concentrate! He yelled to himself. But he was having difficultly doing so. This was no ordinary mission. This mission called for no mistakes, no faults. Just another breaching, he repeated in his mind. Only difference is Sakura's life is on the line. You can do this.

He carefully turned and looked in the window, his pistol raised. _Shit._ Pitch black. Can't see a damn thing. Ducking, he advanced to the door.

That's when he saw Shikamaru. Well, not really of course. Shikamaru was dead. But his mind was imagining him here like it was another breaching. He saw him across from him, mirroring his position. He was dressed in his full combat uniform, his gun raised. He saw Shikamaru turn to him and tilt his head towards the door.

_"Open the door, Corporal."_Naruto imagined him saying.

Shikamaru dipped his head and turned his line of sight back towards the door. With his head Shikamaru motioned that Naruto will take point. Then like he was never there to begin with, he faded away. Naruto took in a deep breath and nodded. He turned from the side of the wall to face the door. With his boot he slammed his foot into the door with all his might. Giving in under pressure, the door broke off it's hinges as it swung open. His pistol raised, Naruto entered the room, his back hunched over. His eyes darted around for any sight of Sakura or a hostile. The first thing he noticed was a man on the ground by the door, unconscious. He was wearing a suit and looked middle aged. Blood was coming from his nose and mouth. Must have been standing by the door, Naruto mentally noted. He bent down and put two fingers next to the man's neck. Still alive. He turned back toward the rest of the house. The next thing he saw was a man aiming and staring down the barrel of his gun at him. The hostile fired two shots and missed both that were aimed at Naruto. Ducking and dropping down to one knee, Naruto returned fire. A double-tap to the man's head, not missing any.

Leave it to Sasuke to hire men to help him carry out his plan, Naruto thought angrily.

Naruto stood up and stepped over the body, not bothering to check if the man was still alive. He continued on, entering the living room. His pistol raised, he checked every direction. All clear. He rounded the corner to look in the kitchen. Nothing. Only one more place to check. He turned towards his bedroom door that was closed at the end of the hall.

This ends now, he told himself as he made his way to the door. He took light steps and stopped by the front of the door. It was quiet. Too quiet. Taking a deep breath he repeated the process as he did the front door. The door slammed open, revealing four people. Like all his breaching, to him it was in slow motion. A man to the far left was pulling up his mini machine gun, but a shot to the head stopped him in his tracks. Spinning on his heel, he then aimed his sights on the man to the far right and shot him before he could even pull the trigger.

But the last man stopped him dead in his tracks.

"Well, you sure live up to your standards of being a Marine." The raven haired man smiled at him.

Sasuke had Sakura firmly in his hands, while he held a gun to her head. Her mouth was duck tapped shut and her wrists were also duct taped in front of her. Her feet were tied and pinned together which meant Sasuke had clearly thought this through. There would be no way out of this without bloodshed. Instead of seeing fear in her eyes, he saw hard determination. Naruto's eyes narrowed as he straightened out his back. He did not lower his pistol however.

"About time you figured everything out. We were starting to get worried, right Sakura?" He asked, pulling her chin up to look at him.

"Don't you fucking touch her." Naruto snarled.

"Defensive now, are we?" He asked, calmly. "Drop the gun or she dies."

Naruto hesitated as he looked into Sasuke's eyes. What would happen next would be the most crucial part of the whole situation. In all his military training, he scored the lowest in hostage situations. But he did know the basics. Drop the gun and risk being shot or unarmed. Or don't and try to shoot Sasuke without hitting Sakura? He knew he was a talented Marine but his accuracy isn't that good.

"It won't work." Sasuke smiled, like he knew what he was thinking. "Also put it on safety before you drop it." He added.

Of course, so Naruto couldn't pick it back up and use it. He looked in Sakura's eyes and tried to block the whole situation. He knew the ending to the story and it was no happy ending. Sakura's eyes were begging him not to do it. That he meant so much to her. But she would never know just how much she saved him. And how his life was always hers from the very beginning..

Too big of a risk. He made his decision, hoping to God it was the right one.

"The day I came home after first meeting you, I remember my mom saying I was so excited. And how I would marry you one day. Of course, being a kid, I said 'no' because you had cooties. But as each day goes by, I realize just how right she was." Naruto told Sakura his eyes never leaving hers.

Her determined gaze was soon washed away by fear and sorrow as he talked to her. They had this weird way of knowing what the other person was thinking and she knew what he had chose to do. Please... She seemed to beg. Not for me, I can't-I cant let you. He smiled slightly, his lips pulling back into a tight line.

"You were always my light, Sakura. Saved me from myself countless times. But I love you and I know it's a stupid excuse for everything I've done." Naruto told her, clicking the safety on the gun.

Sasuke rolled his eyes, "Now if the love fest is over, put your damn gun down. This is the last time I'll ask."

Naruto hated him so very much at this moment. So, so much. Seeing him holding a gun to his very reason of existence was driving him crazy, but he has to stay calm. He complied and slowly brought the gun down to the floor. He placed it on the floor and slowly stood up, his hands in the air.

"Kick it away." Sasuke ordered.

Naruto kicked it and the gun slid under his bed. His eyes glaring at the man before him. But Sasuke only smiled, wickedly.

"Now, was that so hard, Corporal?" He asked.

It's was probably not the best idea to piss off the person with an axe over your head, but he couldn't help the remark that slipped from his lips.

"Go to hell." Naruto replied, his eyes staring into the cold eyes of Sasuke.

Sasuke only smiled wider, "After you." He said, pulling the gun from Sakura's head and pointing it at Naruto.

A shot rang out and seconds later Naruto crumbled to the floor. He heard Sakura scream through the duct tape around her mouth. Naruto kept his head down at the carpet as he placed his right hand over his abdomen. Bringing it back up to his eyes, he saw it was covered in blood.

He fucking shot me, his mind yelled to him in horror.

"You see, Corporal Uzumaki, as easily as it is to kill you, I killed that friend of yours. Simple really. Just had to hire an inside man." He stated. "It was a such a shame though. He didn't even notice the faulty chute."

"You asshole!" Naruto yelled from the ground.

"Well, nothing compares to this." He said, motioning to the area around him. "I thought you would notice my little trap. But I guess this girl-" He says pulling Sakura closer to him, "-distracted your military side of you."

"No. Never. I-" Naruto was having trouble getting his words out. Not because he didn't know what to say, no because of the pain he felt in his stomach. Must have hit his appendix. He was now running on borrowed time and eventually he would have to give it back. He would soon bleed out.

"Being a detective has its perks. I'm really disappointed. I thought you would put up much more of a fight." He added, thoughtfully.

He waved the gun around in the air as Naruto watched his every move. The bullet wound was now a dull ache. He thinks I'm crippled, mistake number one, Naruto thought. Naruto pushed himself slightly up on his arm, but played it off as if he was in major pain. He has to get the gun, but first he needs the barrel not aimed at him. An idea popped into Naruto head as he glared up at Sasuke.

"I wouldn't want it to be any other way. Listening to your sorry ass is much scarier than a death sentence." Naruto managed out, grinning at Sasuke's livid expression.

He brought the gun back up to Sakura's head, "I'll just kill your 'light' in front of you. Won't that be interesting?"

Mistake number two. Naruto didn't reply. Using all his reserved strength, he pushed himself from the ground and tackled Sasuke to the ground. Just as his body collided with Sasuke's, he pushed Sakura in the opposite direction as far as he could away from the raven haired man. He landed on top of Sasuke. He grabbed Sasuke's weapon pushing it off to the side so when he pulled the trigger, the shot missed Naruto's body. But this man was experienced. Saying he was only a few years as a detective didn't do him justice. The two men fought for dominance over the other. Both struggling for the hold of the gun.

The only thought running through Naruto's mind was, 'Get the gun.' Because if he didn't, it would be over.

Each time he would get close to getting the gun, Sasuke would move it into a different position and he had to start all over again. Every now and then Naruto would elbow him in the face but Sasuke never backed down. And at that very second Naruto felt his body giving up. He grunted and tried once more for the gun, slamming Sasuke's hand to the ground. The force caused Sasuke to fire a round into the ceiling. Get the gun. But fate wasn't on his side. Naruto's vision blurred from the loss of blood. His muscles weakened from the run over here and his left arm utterly useless from past injuries. A trapped soul fighting in a useless body.

With a punch to the abdomen where the bullet entered was enough to finish Naruto. Sasuke pushed Naruto off of him. Naruto rolled onto the ground his back facing Sasuke. His heart screamed for him to get up and fight. While his head told him that it was his time. He was out of lives.

Sakura was across the room, trying to crawl towards him. It shouldn't have to end like this.. She never deserved any of this.

"Oh, you really should not have done that." Sasuke snarled, standing up.

For Sakura, his heart begged. Get up and stop him. Naruto pushed himself up slightly on his arms. His stomach leaving the ground, he noticed just how much blood was pooling around him. But before he could rise anymore he felt a cold metal pressing to the back of his head, meeting him halfway.

"You are permentally discharged, Corporal Uzumaki." He spat at Naruto.

Naruto pulled his head up to look at Sakura, blood running down his chin from his mouth. In the last seconds of his consciousness he noticed a fallen gun a few inches away from one of Sasuke's men. He gave her a small smile as he reached out with his left hand and shoved the gun so it slid to rest before her.

_You saved me. Now save yourself._

A loud shot rang out. All he heard was her horrible muffled scream and then nothing. His screaming reached his ears; arms held him down that restrained him. Then darkness.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Captain Inuzuka Kiba<strong>__**  
><strong>__**(Present Day)**_

_1stSgt. Johnson__  
><em>_Dishonorably discharged due to friendly fire in a secure area.__  
><em>_October 12_

Kiba sighed reading the words on the report. He hated this part of his job. Every questionable military discharge had to go through the military police. And since he was the head of this region, he was required to check cases off. He picked his pen up and signed his name across the report. With a red stamp, he stamped it 'APPROVED'. He placed it face down and picked up another report.

_Lcpl. Wallace__  
><em>_Dishonorably discharged due to refusing an order from an superior officer.__  
><em>_October 08_

Kiba opened the packet to more information on the case.

_"Lcpl. Wallace was ordered to leave a fellow comrade in retreat. He refused to do so and stayed behind to protect a fellow Marine. The stunt caused the rest of the unit to disobey the commander as they held their ground."_

He rubs his temples together looking at the paper. Making his decision, he signed the paper and stamped 'APPROVED' on the paper. It may have been courageous of him but that stunt could have gotten his whole unit wiped out.

A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts.

"Sir, there is someone here to see you." Sergeant Tripp said peeking his head through the door of Kiba's office.

Kiba glanced up from his papers, "Alright, bring him in." Kiba sighed taking off his reading glasses.

He watched and waited as a young man entered the room. He had wavy dirty blonde hair and the brightest blue eyes. The sight of him reminded him of an old friend.

He approached and stopped before his desk and saluted Kiba.

"Name of branch and rank, soldier." Kiba asked eyeing the man.

Without bringing his hand down, he answered, "Marine Corps, sir. Private Pierce of Delta Squad Two, sir."

Kiba raised his eyebrow, "At ease, Private." Kiba motioned the chair in front of him, "Please sit."

"Thank you, sir." He smiled and pulled the chair out sitting down.

"And what do I owe this visit?" Kiba asked, pushing the papers in front of him to the side.

"Well, you see, sir, I'm doing a speech for my unit before we are deployed for our first operation. And I wanted to do something along the lines of us living up the to the expectations of the last Delta Squad. I've done research trying to track them down. Sir, I was informed you are the last of the old Delta Squad." He finished, smiling.

Kiba smiled slightly at the memory of his old comrades. He remembered all their faces. After Nara died, he had lost Lance Corporal Burns and Private Anderson in a night operation. Kiba had turned in his resignation of the Maine Corps after that. Sergeant Heller retired as a Master Sergeant and died years later in a car accident. And old man Nelms died peacefully of old age, surrounded by friends and family.

"No, not the last." He told the young Private.

"What do you mean, sir?" He asked, confused.

"I'm not the last of the old Delta Squad." He repeated, opening his filling cabinet and pulling out a picture of his old unit. "Corporal Uzumaki is still alive." He told him.

Kiba placed the picture down in front of the man and pointed to a smiling blonde haired soldier with sun glasses on. They were standing around a Blackhawk Helicopter all with serious expressions on their face except Naruto.

"Where are you, sir?" The Private asked.

"Right here." Kiba said, pointing to a man, sitting in the chopper, his assault rifle in his lap. "Of course I was much younger back then."

"You said Corporal Uzumaki is still alive?" He asked again. "My commander said you were the last one."

"Yea, of course he said that. That's how we all want it." Kiba said, sitting back in his chair. "The Corporal's story is a complicated one."

"Start from the beginning, then." The Private said, excitement in his eyes.

"Well, Corporal Uzumaki Naruto of Marine Division Six was one of the most decorated soldiers of the Marine Corps. As soon as he left the Delta Squad, that's when his career really shot off." Kiba started. "He would have made it to General if it wasn't for him getting shot in Operation: Black Storm."

The man before him raised his eyebrows, "What were his injures?"

Kiba sighed before answering, "Overall his physical injuries consist of third degree burns along his legs that never healed well. A shot to the abdomen that was close to being fatal. The tendons in his left shoulder were severed by a bullet, giving him limited access for movement." Kiba said.

"Jesus. How could he even survive that?" The young solider said in awe.

Kiba shook his head, "I'm not done yet. He had another injury. The injury he doesn't remember, a bullet straight through the edge of the right side of his skull. Amazingly, it missed all the vital areas, but did give him memory loss. You see the right side of the brain controls memory and thoughts. And usually individuals, who have areas damaged to their right side of the brain, don't notice it at all. But as much memory it took away, it gave back."

"What do you mean?" Pierce asked, tilting his head slightly.

Kiba brought his elbows up on the desk looking at the man, "Nothing can compare to his emotional damage. Some memories were completely erased while others were more enhanced. Such as his war memories. It's almost like we put him back in that situation all over again. He'll wake up some nights screaming and grabbing his legs. Same routine, we rush in and sedate him before he can hurt himself."

Kiba began to dig through his desk. After awhile, he pulled out a file and placed it in front of Pierce.

"Read it, Private. It's Naruto's story from his point of view. In that file is everything he ever thought of, everything he ever saw, and everything he remembered. Once you are done, I'll tell you what really happened." Kiba told the man sitting back in his chair.

Private Pierce nodded and opened the file, pulling out the cover paper. Kiba watched as the man read through the file his expressions changing every once and awhile. Amazement, to concern, to horror, to sadness, and back again. He flipped the page. Page number two which held written down records of every memory Naruto had when he was awake.

"He got PTSD from war experiences?" He asked after awhile, putting the paper down.

"No. He had PTSD at a young age. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is a serious condition. One out of every six soldiers that return home will be diagnosed with it. You have constant flashbacks and the littlest thing can trigger them. His war memories just added to it. His brain is so fucked up and traumatized. Nothing we do can reverse the damages already done. We were worried because often soldiers with PTSD try to commit suicide." Kiba took a breath. "Everything he remembers is real. It really happened. But he also has slight brain damage from the bullet. The parts where his memory is erased, his brain has filled in. The medications we've put him on that help with PTSD and the bleeding around his brain can cause severe hallucinations, if used in an overdose. Valium is the medication and another one I can't remember. I know for a fact Naruto overdoses his medication because he is so haunted by his past. The drugs caused him to think she was with him the entire time. Sakura was never there. He hallucinated her and his brain used her to cover up missing pieces inside his head." Kiba said, remembering every detail from memory.

"So Sakura Hunaro was real?" He asked in awe.

Kiba nodded. "Yes, but not in the way he thought she was."

"What do you mean, sir?" He asked.

"Keep reading." He motioned him to continue.

He waited as Private Pierce read Naruto's background story before his military career.

"Wow. That is amazing. He knew her when he was young?" He asked, surprised.

"Keep reading, Pierce. His story is not an happy one." Kiba said melancholy.

He knew Pierce would read of the part of Naruto's parents tragic deaths. And their murderer.

His eyes widened at the lines on the paper, "Her father..?"

Kiba nodded. "You see Private Pierce, Naruto developed Post Traumatic Stress Disorder when his parents were murdered by Vincent. But most of all when Vincent came home and killed his wife and daughter."

Pierce's eyes widened, "Sakura is dead?"

"Has been for thirty-five years." Kiba smiled slightly, "I told you that was Naruto's story and what he saw." He said pointing to the file. "Now I'm telling you what really happened."

"So, she never was on that plane. Or any of the events after that?" He asked.

"Yep. She died at age eight. Ten years later, depressed and not wanting to live, Naruto enrolled into the military. He developed friendships and learned to put his horrible past in the back of his mind." Kiba looked down for awhile before continuing, "After experiencing death of a comrade his PTSD got worse. But you can't get out of the military for PTSD. He still went on many missions and was almost discharged when he suffered third degree burns on his legs. But he made an astounding recovery and jumped back into his boots." He chuckled roughly. "Shikamaru, Naruto, and I left the Delta Squad the very next day and joined Marine Division Six. We went on dangerous quiet ops and always managed to make it out. But one day we were paratrooping into Russia and when we deployed, Shikamaru's chute failed to open."

Kiba put his hands out to show how it happened.

"Naruto dropped after him then it was me. Shikamaru's reserve chute failed also and as he fell, Naruto cut his own chute so he would fall as well." Kiba holds has hands up showing how close they were. "His plan, as he told me later, was to fall next to Shikamaru and hook his vest to Naruto's so that Naruto's reserve chute could support them both."

Kiba put his hands down looking into the Private's intense gaze, "It was a very risky and stupid thing to do. Normal chutes can't support the weight of two men. What made him think his reserve would work..." Kiba shook his head, "By the time Naruto was close enough to hook his vest, he was twenty stories from the ground. In seconds they would both be dead. If Naruto's chute didn't open at that moment, it would be too late to pull it because the fabric would not have time to catch air. Shikamaru saved his ass by pulling Naruto's reserve chute just as Naruto neared him. As Naruto's chute opened, Shikamaru fell to his death."

Private Pierce's eyes were wide in horror.

"Naruto blamed himself for Shikamaru's death. How if he had gotten there faster, it would have been different. But you can't go through life saying 'what if'. The dumbass kid even called the military police on himself because he felt so guiltily. He believed he was a monster and at that moment that was at the peak of his PTSD. He had reached his limit on what he could take." Kiba pushed himself out of the chair and stood up, walking to a window in his office.

"You don't have to continue, sir." Pierce said from his seated position.

"Oh, but I do. His story must be told." Kiba said still looking out the window.

"His last mission, Operation: Black Storm, we thought he never came back alive." Kiba said as if in deep memory. "In that file you read, he believed Shikamaru was there with him. He wasn't. We were ambushed in the swamp. Naruto was shot in the shoulder and abdomen. I couldn't find him.. It was complete chaos."

"After killing two hostiles, I found him bleeding out by a water hole. A man was standing over him, his revolver to the back of Naruto's head. Naruto noticed me and in the last seconds he slid me a fallen pistol laying in front of him just as the man behind him pulled the trigger.." Kiba glanced to the side away from the window. "Thinking Naruto was dead, I put two bullets in the asshole's head."

Kiba left the window and came to stand by his desk, "Turned out the man I killed was Vincent Haruno. Son of a bitch was trying to finish his mission. Another unpredictable chance happened. When I approached Naruto and felt his pulse, he had one. We quickly evacuated him and other wounded soldiers. The bullet went through his skull and missed vital parts. It was impossible. He should have died. But yet didn't.." Kiba smiled slightly. "He awoke from his coma a week later. But he awoke a different man."

Kiba sat back down and pointed to the file.

"His memory loss, dissociative amnesia, minor brain damage, PTSD, and mixed with the medications he had to take, changed his entire view of everything. He does not know the truth. We let him believe what he wants to. I saw no point in explaining to him the truth." Kiba finished.

Private Pierce waited awhile to take in all the information.

"So he thinks Sakura is alive and that he is in love with her. Does he believe he is dead?" Pierce tilted his head. "I'm confused, sir."

"Everything repeats in his head, Private. As soon as he 'dies' in his memory, its starts all over from the meeting her on the plane." Kiba glanced to the side, "We want to take him off his medications so he would know the sense of time passing by. He recognizes me, for example, but still calls me Private Inuzuka. He asks how Second Lieutenant Nelms is doing every now and then. Naruto isn't brain dead. It as if his life is stuck in a section of time. Never moving forward."

"God.. I've never even knew that kind of thing could happen." The Private managed out.

"Yes, there are a lot of horror stories in the military that they never tell you about. Any more questions, Private?" Kiba asked, tired of talking about his friend all over again.

"Why was Sakura in his memories? I mean why her?" Private Pierce questioned.

"Sakura was Naruto's best friend, he loved her at a young age. He never truly believed she was gone. She was the light he so desperately craved. His whole being was always surrounded by pain. I believe he felt himself losing his soul to the darkness that surrounded him. His mind looked for a way out of all the emotional and physical pain. And it ended with Sakura." Kiba offered.

"So, his war memories in this file are the same as what really happened?" Pierce asked holding up the file.

"Yes."

"He was really arrested?" He asked again.

"Yes."

"Everything he saw while with Sakura was just his brain making it up?" He asked as if trying figure everything out.

"Yes." Kiba leaned forward, closer to the man, "His real memories are mixed with his fake ones. He believed he saved Sakura and was shot by Sasuke. But what really happened was he was shot by Vincent in Black Storm."

"But then who is Sasuke?" The Private asked.

"Not who. What was Sasuke." Kiba smiled slightly. "Sasuke was Vincent Haruno's code name. That was how everyone knew him by. You see, Private? There is always truth behind the lie. Sasuke wasn't a real man. Naruto's brain was missing parts in his memory so his brain made it up."

"Where is the Corporal, now?" Pierce asked.

Kiba sighed looking down, "Some medical facility. We're trying to get him help." Kiba pinched the bridge of his nose. "I don't even see why Vincent tried." He pointed back to Naruto's picture, "That Marine is nothing but a shell of his former self. He paid the extreme price. Many think it's dying, no, it's going on and living with those around you that have gone. And trying to live with yourself thinking about that. Now that is the ultimate price. Only in death will he find his peace.."

Kiba eyes stared down at the picture as the memory of that day they extracted Naruto at Black Storm came upon him..

_The bullet didn't go through. He was wearing a helmet. The bullet didn't go through, Kiba's mind chanted as he dropped to his knees at Naruto's side._

_"Private Inuzuka, we have to go now! This area is too hot." A man yelled over the barrage of bullets._

_He didn't have much time to check him. Instead he grabbed ahold of Naruto's vest and started to drag him towards the rubber speed boat sitting at the edge of the swamp. Him and another man lifted the Corporal into the first boat. Kiba jumped in along side Naruto as the swarm of bullets seemed to get closer. Four men piled into the other boat behind him._

_Blood was seeping out of Naruto combat helmet as Kiba undid the strap around his chin. His whole body was soaked in the bright red liquid. Kiba hastily threw the helmet down in the boat. He saw the gory wound. The bullet had appeared to sliced through the right side of his head._

_"Christ..." He muttered looking at the wound._

_"Let's get out of here! Are you waiting for an damn invitation?" The officer of the unit yelled as one of the men started the motor on the boat they were in._

_Kiba was pushed backwards with the force of the rubber speed boat taking off but he quickly regained his balance. The other boat followed closely behind. But not even the cover of darkness could defend the noise of the motor._

_"I need a medic!" Kiba yelled staring at Naruto in utter horror._

_A man pulled himself up towards Kiba and to Naruto from the back of the rubber boat. The medic lifted Uzumaki's chin and waved a small flashlight in his eyes. It was then Kiba noticed that his eyes were wide open and Naruto was awake. Seconds after the light from the flashlight shined in his eyes he started to cough violently. But it was no normal cough. It sounded like he was choking on liquid._

_"Shit." The medic said, glancing around, "You!" He turned to Kiba. "Put pressure on his abdomen or he's going to bleed out."_

_He did as he was told and put his hands over Naruto's stomach. Kiba couldn't see if he was doing any good. It was too dark out. The medic grabbed ahold of Naruto's throat squeezing it, trying to open his airway. Naruto was still gagging, his eyes wide open but not seeing them._

_"Corporal, listen to me. You will make it. You have to fight it. You will make it!" The medic was yelling at Naruto._

_The rubber boat turned out towards open sea and jumped as it hit a wave. He could hear the distant sound of gun shells slicing the air and the rumbling of motors. They were being followed._

_"Air Evac is up ahead. Step on it." The lead man yelled to the soldier by the motor. He then turned to face the front and yell into his mic, "Falcon Two, we are on route. One wounded on board!"_

_So much noise. It was deafening. He turned back to Naruto, whose blood was flowing out of his mouth._

_Through the blood in his lungs, he tried to speak. The medic leaned down as Naruto whispered to him before going completely limp._

_"God dammit. Live!" The medic yelled, performing chest compresions._

_"What did he say?" Kiba yelled as the boats neared a huge Air Firce carrier hovering above the water. "What did he say!" He shouted again to the medic, when he didn't reply._

_"I don't know what he meant. Who the hell is Sakura?" The medic yelled towards Kiba._

It was the main reason Kiba quit the Marines and joined the Military Police. That very day showed him he couldn't handle the death of a comrade before his eyes.

It was quiet for awhile. Pierce just stared at the picture.

"Thanks for your time, sir." He said after awhile.

"Of course." Kiba smiled, slightly.

The Private's visit had brought bad memories he kept to the back of his mind. But this young man showed him again why you must never forget. That each day you live, could very well be your last.

Pierce stood to leave but Kiba stopped him, "Here." He said, handing him the picture, "It has more use with you than me. Tell his story. Tell Marine Team Delta's story."

The Private, at a loss for words, took the picture and saluted Kiba. Kiba returned the salute and watched as the man made his way out.

Every soldier in time will come to realize and forgive themselves of what they've done. In war, a man becomes something that can never be described in words. They say death is a part of life, but no one deserves to die alone and scared. Those who make it out have only the memory of those that didn't. In the end, it's up to the living to tell their story.

Captain Inuzuka will never forget Corporal Uzumaki and the price he paid for people all over the country that he never even met. He gave away his life to strangers. Time will always be frozen in place. To him, he will never age, his surroundings will never change, and everything he did up to this point will be as if it was yesterday..

Kiba smiled, really smiled, for the first time in years and glanced out the window again.

But then again, if the sun was set to rise, what makes this any different?

* * *

><p><strong>Unpredictable Fate was written to show readers the side of soldiers you never hear about. That physical injures may heal, but emotional ones last forever. That PTSD is a real disorder that soldiers are more likely to end up with. Statistics show that one out of every six soldiers who return home will be diagnosed with it. Thousands more who are never diagnosed. There are many war stories and soldiers returning home with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and some always don't have a happy ending.<strong>

**The first six chapters start off as the reader (you) are in Naruto's hallucinations and memories. Then are brought to the last chapter where it is discovered what is actually happening. Clues in the story add up in the end, to where I hope the reader can fully understand what it was like to believe what you read was the truth. In the end you get a feel for how Naruto felt when you believed the first six chapters were really happening.**

**Unpredictable Fate was given that name because the ending was very unpredictable. Anything can happen in the unpredictable world we live in. I hope you learned as much from this story as I did writing it. Thank you for sticking with this story to the very end. **  
><strong>-NewYear's Tragedy<strong>


End file.
